Targa Britannia will give competitors the chance to tackle a unique event in British motor sport, with three full days of competition including three races and quality asphalt special stages at up to a dozen venues including the Harewood hillclimb and the sensational Oliver’s Mount motorcycle course. The competition car is driven between each venue, providing a challenge for both driver and co-driver as the public road route takes in some glorious British scenery. The total competitive element makes the tour excellent value for money when compared to single-day race meetings and the vibrant social atmosphere will add to the sense of occasion.

The existing Tour Britannia will remain the province of the older cars and will remain unchanged. The two events will share a common route, taking in three races and a series of asphalt special stages during three days of competition. The event will be based at Harrogate and includes races at Croft, Cadwell Park and Mallory Park.

In 2011, Mike Smith and Ian Ashley contested an invitation class of Tour Britannia in a Caterham R500 when their intended Porsche 911RSR hit gearbox problems just before the event. “It was a fantastic experience,” said Smith. “I don’t think anyone had ever competed across the Epynt ranges in the rain in an R500 before.”

Now, event organiser Alec Poole has decided to open the tour up to more modern cars. “We think there are plenty of competitors out there with modern machinery who would like the chance to tackle something rather different,” said Poole.

Targa Britannia will be open to any post ’75 road legal car, including sports, GT and saloon cars capable of carrying a crew of two, and complying with MSA race regulations. This covers items like roll cage, fire extinguisher, harnesses and towing eyes. Drivers must have race licences, while the co-driver only needs a basic MSA licence, available from £39.

There will be three classes: up to 1600cc, 1600cc to 2000cc and over 3000cc. The organisers will cap the field at 35 cars to allow the entire Targa field to compete in a single race, while the main Targa award will be based on an Index of Performance to give the less powerful cars an equal chance of success. Team prizes will be awarded within the Targa event.

Co-drivers will work with a straightforward road book to guide their driver from one venue to another. The co-drivers stay in the car for the special stages, but leave it to the drivers at the race circuits.
Finally, to make the event as flexible as possible for potential entrants, competitors can join in for a single day if they wish but would not be eligible for any awards other than ‘Driver of the Day’. Their day will run for 24 hours from 6pm the previous evening so that cars can be scrutineered and paperwork completed before having dinner and then being ready to start the following morning.

Event director Alec Poole will be hand during Thursday and Friday of the show and will be based with the Historic Sports Car Club (stand 6700 in Hall 6), where he will be available to chat with anyone interested in the event as well as give updates to regular competitors.

With over five months to go before the start of the 2012 Tour Britannia, more than 25 entries are already confirmed, which represents the highest number ever received so far in advance of the event.

Early entries in the competition event include Tour regulars Mike Smith/Ian Ashley (Porsche 911 RSR) and Stuart Scott/Steve Wood (Chevrolet Camaro), while Yorkshire crew Roger Kilty and Lynette Banks are back with their Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600 and aiming to put their local knowledge to good effect. As one of the few drivers with experience of racing, rallying and speed events, Kilty is well placed to challenge for the overall podium. The concurrent regularity event already has entries ranging from an MGA to a Ferrari 250GT Lusso.

The eighth running of this unique event will be based in Yorkshire and will run from 7-9 June, offering crews in both the competition and regularity events three full days of action taking in some old favourite locations as well as several new venues. Tour Britannia will be based at the Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, which will host documentation and scrutineering during Wednesday 6 June before another first for the event, a special prologue stage in the grounds of the hotel on Wednesday evening.

Tour Britannia is one of Europe’s leading historic motoring events offering the entrant the choice of the more relaxed regularity category or full-blown competition category. Following the very successful 2011 event, the 2012 Tour Britannia will run from 7-9 June and base itself around the beautiful Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate.

Welcoming Bonhams and EFG International’s commitment to the event, Tour Britannia’s Alec Poole said: “Bonhams has assisted us greatly over the years and we are thrilled that Europe’s foremost collectors’ motor car auction house has become one of our main partners. Bonhams has a long standing partnership with EFG International, which is known for its commitment to historic motoring, and I welcome them alongside Bonhams.”

James Knight, Bonhams’ Group Motoring Director commented: “The Bonhams motoring team has thoroughly enjoyed participating on the Tour; we regard it as a perfect fit to our portfolio of events, and it was only natural to further raise our profile with Tour Britannia.”

Keith Gapp, Head of Strategic Marketing & Communications, EFG International, said: “It is a pleasure to be partnering with Tour Britannia, alongside Bonhams, with whom we have a very strong relationship. Tour Britannia has made strong progress in recent years, and we look forward to supporting its continued development.”

Details of Bonhams' forthcoming auctions can be found at www.bonhams.com.

For more information on EFG International, visit www.efginternational.com. To learn more about its commitment to historic motoring, visit www.efgmotorracing.com

Tour Britannia 7, 8 & 9 June 2012

Mini Britannia 6 October 2012

It seems only days since we were in Llandudno for Mini Britannia but already it's full steam ahead planning for two events once again next year.

Speaking of Llandudno, we must say a huge thank you to all the competitors who supported us on the inaugural Mini Britannia and all the marshals and officials who worked so hard to help us put it together in just 10 weeks.

Given that short time frame, it was really pleasing to receive so much positive feedback and that has encouraged us to do it all again next year, on Saturday 6^th October.

But first, in June, it will be Tour Britannia. From its Harrogate base, the three day event will take in a variety of venues in Yorkshire and the North Midlands.

2011 has been a landmark year for us. The more challenging format for Tour Britannia has been widely welcomed by competitors and we are not resting on our laurels. We have some very special venues lined up for you next year, including race tracks, hill climb courses and classic rally stages.

Both events will once again run classic competition and regularity events in tandem, while a Targa class will be open to modern vehicles.

Further information, along with entry forms for both events, is available at www.tourbritannia.com with an early bird entry fee available for Tour Britannia until December 19^th. We look forward to hearing from friends, new and old, very soon.

Penrhyn Castle near Bangor and Anglesey Showground are the latest venues to be added to the route of the inaugural Mini Britannia, a one day version of the prestigious race tour for classic cars.

The event takes place on Friday October 14^th. While competitors won't have time to view the 19^th Century neo-Norman Penrhyn Castle's one ton slate bed made especially for Queen Victoria or its elaborate carvings, plasterwork and mock Norman furniture, they will tackle the National Trust property's drive as a special test.

Meanwhile, the short, smooth but challenging stage at the showground will be a good re-introduction to rally action for competitors following a thirty minute race at the superb Anglesey Circuit.

Announcing the latest challenges for competitors, event organiser Alec Poole commented, “When Llandudno Council agreed to let us use the Great Orme Marine Drive and Anglesey circuit said we could have access to their long track on Friday 14 October, we knew Mini Britannia would work. Both of these venues were nucleus to the success of Tour Britannia 2010.

“We now have confirmation that we can use the drive at Penrhyn Castle and Anglesey Showground on that day as well, which will be excellent, contrasting and challenging stages. We also plan to announce further venues in the coming days.”

Mini Britannia was originally conceived as an introduction to the event format for those who have not yet competed on the longer Tour Britannia and has attracted a number of newcomers.

But the growing entry list also includes a number of established Tour competitors, among them event stalwart Brad Mottier who will be travelling all the way from the United States to compete in his immaculate works replica Datsun 240Z.

Welcoming the strength of interest in the event, Alec Poole said, “Mini Britannia is an excellent opportunity to try your hand at a Race Tour, without having to go to major expense or travel abroad.”

You can find more information about the event by visiting the Mini Britannia section of www.tourbritannia.com or by contacting Tour Britannia on +44 (0)1295 268 888 ; e-mail info@tourbritannia.com.

Entry forms can be downloaded here.

Mini Britannia will take place on Friday the 14^th of October running the usual classes and format for both Regularity and Competition, all condensed in one day.

Documentation and scrutineering will take place at the St Georges Hotel in Llandudno on Thursday the 13^th. An early start on Friday the 14^th will see competitors tackle the Anglesey Circuit, the Great Orme Marine Drive as well as three other notable smooth quality tarmac stages plus road regularity in North Wales before returning to the St Georges Hotel for the Finish.

While attractive to Tour Britannia regulars, Mini Britannia offers an ideal opportunity for those wishing to get a taste of this superb event in preparation for the 2012 event.

Entries are now open and will close on 20 September 2012 and are priced at £995 inc VAT for Regularity and £1250 inc VAT for Competition, including reception and dinner the night before the start as well as lunch on the main day and dinner with prizegiving . Accommodation is not included, but rooms can be drawn down from our block booking at reduced rates.

Entry forms can be downloaded here.

Regularity Category

Competition Category

Targa Category

John Clark / Emma Jane Gilart-Smith, Porsche 911
John Sheldon/ Lesley Sheldon, Lotus Elan
Philip Walker/ Nick Whale, Jaguar E Type

Things are also really close in the Regularity Category will all three first cars within one minute.

John Ruston / Jeremy Haylock, Talbot 105 Alpine
Steve Graham/ Tony Graham, Lancia Fulvia 1300
Irvine Laidlaw/ Wilson Laidlaw, Ferrari 25O GTO

And in the Targa Category, the Mazda MX5 of John Freeman/Tim Blackmore still leads from Mike Smith / Ian Ashley in their Caterham 500, closely followed py David Grace / Chris Clarkson’s Morris Minor.

Regularity Category

Targa Category

101  John Freeman Tim Blackmore  Mazda MX5

103  David GraceChris Clarkson  Morris Minor

104  Mike Smith Ian Ashley  Caterham R500

102  Martin Rigney Colin Parkinson  Porsche GT3