Monday 18th September 2017

Malta Classic 2017 preview

Racing around a medieval fortified city in the Med, what more could you ask for?

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Classic racing events provide some great spectacles, both for those who remember watching the cars in their youth and those seeing them for the first time. They're a chance to show a new generation how great racing once was, and a rare opportunity to see some of the finest cars ever built still being used as intended. Now there's yet another annual gathering, vying for attention against the long list of prestigious names including Goodwood, Monterey and Le Mans. And that name is Malta.

Spanning the four days from the 5th-8th of October, the Malta Classic is based on the small Mediterranean island of Malta, obviously, and celebrates all things classic cars. It includes a hill climb set against the perfect backdrop of the Mediterranean sea, Concours d'Elegance and a Grand Prix around the medieval fortified city of Mdina.

The Grand Prix is the talk of the event with over 70 pre-1976 cars from across the globe battling it out in six race groups, all hoping to make it to the final showdown and be crowned Malta Grand Prix Champion. Expect Ferraris, Aston Martins, Alfa Romeos, Jaguars and many others to go wheel to wheel through the tight bends and sweeping curves as they navigate the vineyard lined course.

The Classic is starting to gain some real traction, having been started in 2007 by French entrepreneur Thierry Giovannini. No stranger to motor racing, it was Giovannini who brought classic car racing to the already car mad country with a race on the ring road outside the capital Valletta. Tickets for the event vary from €5 for a paddock entrance to €75 for a weekend VIP ticket. If you are up for escaping the wet weather and watching some classic racing, Malta Classic is one not to miss.

[Photos: Laszlo Szilagyi]

[v8griff]

I'm surprised they expect you to pay for the privilege of watching old cars belting around Valetta.

Visit the island any other time and watch the locals do if for free, they are mental!

[v8griff]

wolfracesonic said:

Do they still have those shonky old green buses?

Sadly not...wonder where they went? Actually Malta used to be full of old relics. We hired a Triumph Herald in the early eighties that had a removable gear lever, it used to detach when down changing which was interesting.