BRDC, Silverstone support Tour Britannia.

A major new historic motorsport event has been unveiled, and will run for the first time next September with the full backing of the beleaguered British Racing Drivers' Club.

Tour Britannia is the brainchild of former WRC co-driver Fred Gallagher and Mini legend Alec Poole, who will fill the roles of sporting and commercial director respectively, while HSCC executive director Grahame White and Rally GB official Andrew Kellitt will operate as race director and clerk of the course.

A major new historic motorsport event has been unveiled, and will run for the first time next September with the full backing of the beleaguered British Racing Drivers' Club.

Tour Britannia is the brainchild of former WRC co-driver Fred Gallagher and Mini legend Alec Poole, who will fill the roles of sporting and commercial director respectively, while HSCC executive director Grahame White and Rally GB official Andrew Kellitt will operate as race director and clerk of the course.

BRDC chairman Ray Bellm was present at the launch, which took place in the Club's suite at Silverstone, and was joined by important figures from motorsport history, including Jackie Oliver and Paddy Hopkirk.

The Tour is pencilled in to run between 5-8 September 2005, and aims to celebrate 100 years of British motorsport heritage by visiting some of Britain's most historic venues, before finishing on the historic layout at the 'home of British motor racing', Silverstone. From its base in Stratford-upon-Avon, the event will visit other circuits, including Snetterton and Cadwell Park, as well as hillclimb venues, sprint courses, and the stately homes and parks that played a central role in past British rounds of the World Rally Championship. Different routes will be used on each of the four days, with a total mileage expected in the region of 800 miles.

The event, which will be open to cars built before 1976, expects to be divided into two categories - Competition and Touring-Regularity - bringing it in line with rivals such as France annual Tour Auto. Eleven sub-categories will allow a wide range of machinery to compete for honours, with overall winners be decided by an Index of Performance. The organisers have said that priority will be given to cars of a type which competed in the British Empire Trophy between 1951-58 or the Tourist Trophy from 1905-65, plus any cars which have played a significant part in British motor sporting history.

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