Motor Racing Legends and the British Automobile Racing Club have announced the first list of eligible cars for Rewind Tour Britain, which will take place on May 27-30, 2027.

Following on from its groundbreaking launch at the start of the year, the event – which will see the field commute between writhing tarmac rally stages and fast, flowing circuit races via some of the best routes the country has to offer – is set to be the most diverse of anywhere in the world.

Six classes, split by car age and a further invitational class, will make up the entry. Rally and race cars will share classes, inviting thrilling competition between different styles of car across different styles of test.

Below is an explanation of each class, with a sample car to highlight the varied options for entrants:

Bentley 3/4 ½ Litre
Class 1: Pre-1941 road registered sports cars

The Bentley Boys epitomised the camaraderie and daring of pre-war motor racing and their machinery continues to epitomise it today. There are plenty of Bentleys eligible for Class 1, but the 3/4 ½ Litre has the shorter chassis of the 3 Litre, and the engine of the 4 ½ Litre. All the power, but a little more nimble. Perfect for stage or circuit.

Equivalent to MRL’s Pre-War Sports Cars, this will be a popular class with entrants and spectators alike. Some of the most famed marques in history began here, with Aston Martin, Bugatti, Bentley and Morgan all regular competitors.

Jaguar D-Type
Class 2: Pre-1963 road registered sports, touring and GT cars

Is it impossible to imagine the sleek, sultry Jaguar D-Type attacking a tarmac rally stage? Perhaps, but as a star of 1950s sportscar racing it was a regular on the Mille Miglia which was, of course, a road rally. It would be a dramatic choice for enjoying Britain’s fine driving roads, too.

Class 2 welcomes GT and touring cars, equivalent to MRL’s HMRN Pre ’63 GT, as well as road-registered sports cars from the 1950s. The likes of the Austin-Healey 3000 and Saab 96 competed for rally wins in the early 1960s, and they’ll face racing pedigree from Ferrari, Lotus or Jaguar.

Austin Mini Cooper S
Class 3: Pre-1966 road registered touring and GT cars

The Mini Cooper S was brought to the forefront of the imagination of the public, particularly in Britain, with its success in rallying, particularly on the winding roads of Monte Carlo. Though we can expect to avoid ice and snow in late May, the little hatchback has fast pedigree on circuit and stage and could be a real giant killer.

Welcoming entries roughly equivalent to MRL’s Royal Automobile Club Pall Mall Cup, Pre-’66 GT Sprint and HRDC Top Hat, Class 3 welcomes everything from Jaguar E-Type to Lotus Cortina via Ford Galaxy and TVR Griffith.

Citroën SM
Class 4: Pre-1971 road registered touring and GT cars

The fantastically styled Citroën SM is renowned for its luxury, sleek design and cruising ability. It is less known for being a successful rally car, but it was just that, famously winning the Rallye du Maroc in 1971 on rough dessert terrain. Not only that, it was a fierce competitor on the Avon Tour of Britain in period. Could it be a class contender in 2027?

The 1960s produced a batch of iconic rally and touring cars, and they’ll likely form the backbone of Class 4. The Ford Escort Mexico, Alpine A110, Lancia Fulvia and Porsche 911 fought for race and rally wins all over the world in period.

Lancia Stratos
Class 5: Pre-1981 road registered touring and GT cars

Few cars have a greater reputation than the fearsome, sonorous Stratos. It arrived, looking like a spaceship, in 1973 and became the dominant force in rallying through the period. Only Ford’s Escort could regularly hold a candle to the mighty Italian with its Ferrari Dino V6, and it doesn’t take much imagination to see it as a strong force on Rewind Tour Britain.

1970s cars will dominate Class 5, and they’re a spectacular bunch. There are some truly iconic British cars in the running. Vauxhall’s Firenza and Triumph’s TR8 will evoke memories, whilst Brits will claim the Ford Capri and Escort as their own.

Rover Vitesse
Class 6: Pre-1986 road registered touring and GT cars

The Rover Vitesse, an evolution of the SD1, was a star of stage and circuit. In 1985, TWR-fettled and Bastos-backed, it opened the European Touring Car Championship with a 1-2-3 finish at Monza. That same year, the incomparable Tony Pond won the British Rally Championship in the Group A class. The SD1 is 50 in 2026, but in the right hands remains a fantastic competition car.

The early 1980s saw the beginning of the Group A era. The likes of the BMW 635 CSi, Volvo 240 Turbo, Alfa Romeo GTV6 and Jaguar XJS were fighting door-to-door.

Invitational Cars

A wide variety of cars will be considered on an invitational basis. Particular examples under this banner are the Group B supercars, which will run on a demo basis only, as well as the Group A BMW E30 M3.

The eligibility list is not comprehensive, and those who wish to enter but currently don’t see their car on the list should contact eligibility@motorracinglegends.com. The full draft list can be found here.

New Adventure in Historic Motorsport Launched at Thruxton

 

British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) and Motor Racing Legends earlier this week unveiled an exciting new chapter in historic motorsport with the launch of Rewind Tour Britain, a unique multi-discipline event set to take place from 27–30 May 2027.

Announced at BARC’s home circuit, Thruxton, Rewind Tour Britain draws inspiration from the iconic Tour of Britain of the 1970s, reimagining its spirit of adventure for the modern historic racing era. The three-day event will combine circuit racing, rally special stages and hillclimbs into one continuous competition, open to historic race and rally cars.

A Modern Take on a Legendary Format

The original Tour of Britain was renowned for pitching circuit aces against rally stars in lightly modified road cars, producing unforgettable battles and legendary winners. James Hunt claimed the inaugural victory in 1973, while names such as Graham Hill and Roger Clark helped cement the event’s place in motorsport history.

Rewind Tour Britain aims to recapture that same competitive edge, while embracing the expectations and standards of contemporary historic motorsport. The event will operate within FIA historic regulations, with cars required to be road legal and run on standard tyres. Full technical and sporting regulations will be issued in due course.

Circuits, Stages and Spectacular Venues

Competitors will face a demanding all-asphalt challenge, ranging from high-speed circuit action at venues such as Thruxton to special stages and tests at some of the most picturesque locations in the country. Blenheim Palace, with its rich motorsport heritage and connections to RAC Rally history, will form the centrepiece of the event and is set to be the jewel in the crown of the route.

Linking race circuits, closed-road stages and hill climbs via some of Britain’s finest driving roads, Rewind Tour Britain is already generating strong interest from leading drivers across Europe.

A True Test of All-Round Ability

By bringing together disciplines that typically operate in isolation, Rewind Tour Britain will demand adaptability, strategy and reliability from both drivers and teams. Further details on the route, stage formats and competitive structure will be released in the coming months.

Soundbites from the Launch

Ben Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the British Automobile Racing Club, added:
“What we have launched today is genuinely different. Bringing racing and rallying together in one event is ambitious, but that’s exactly why it matters. Our home at Thruxton was the right place to announce it, and the response today shows there is real appetite for something that challenges convention while maintaining a strong connection to the past.

Shaun Lynn, Chairman of Motor Racing Legends, said:
“This is a bold event, which blends a storied past with a brand new concept. Rewind Tour Britain is about putting proper all-round competition back at the centre of historic motorsport. It’s not a parade and it’s not a re-enactment. It’s a serious test that asks drivers to adapt, think and perform across everything motorsport can throw at them throughout some truly spectacular venues across the country. It will not be just the drivers though, as the teams will need good strategy and reliability.”

Pierre-Antoine Lecoutour, CEO of Motor Racing Legends, said:
“There is strong demand across Europe for events that offer more depth than single-discipline competition. Rewind Tour Britain has been built with an international audience in mind, using Britain as a compact yet challenging showcase.”

Drivers from both disciplines have welcomed the concept.

Racing driver David Brabham commented:
“This is exactly the kind of format that drivers want and love, with something for everyone. It puts you up against people from different disciplines and forces you to raise your game. It’s a great platform to take each other on properly, and it’s going to be an amazing event.”

Rally driver Matt Edwards said:
“The Tour of Britain is an event that has gone down in motorsport history with so many famous names as part of it, so it’s amazing to see it live again in a brand new format with a nod to the past. As a showcase for some amazing cars and drivers, it promises to be absolutely fantastic.”

 

Visit the Motor Racing Legends website to learn more about this event.