This year’s Phillip Island Classic – Festival of Motorsport promises to be one of the most spectacular, with a number historic Formula 1 cars from Europe taking part in the event.

The event is a regular ‘must visit’ for motorsport enthusiasts from Australia and those around the world, and this year nine international drivers are also expected to be part of the on-track activity alongside many Australians in action.

Held on the Victorian long weekend on 10-12 March, the historic vehicles will be one of the many highlights for those making the trek to Phillip Island.

Organisers have now confirmed the 1974 Surtees TS16/02, the 1977 Shadow DN8, the Tyrrell 012, Ensign N179, Lotus 81 and Hesketh 308-1 will all feature throughout the weekend – each vehicle with its own impressive history and importance from their respective eras.

The 1974 Surtees TS16/02 was designed and built by the legendary John Surtees, raced in Argentinian, British, South African, Spanish, Belgian, Swedish, Monaco and French Grands Prix over the 1974/ 1975 seasons. Now owned by Marc Devis a prolific-historic racer and a regular participant in the Master Racing Legends for 1966-1985 F1 cars, the Surtees TS16 car has continued to be raced in historic events in Britain and Europe. 

One car that will be close to the heart of Australian motorsport fans is the 1977 Shadow DN8 of James Constable, a Formula 1 car of the Shadow Team during the 1976, 1977 and 1978 and was driven by 1980 World Champion Australian Alan Jones MBE. Jones finished in the points in Monaco and Belgium and won the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix. Jones finished third in Italy and fourth in Canada and Japan for 22 points and seventh in the Drivers’ Championship that year. 

Racing in the original Benetton sponsored livery as driven by Michele Alboreto in 1983 will be the Tyrrell 012. The chassis was used by the factory team between the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix and the 1985 Australian Grand Prix. Now owned by Ian Simmonds in the UK, Chassis 012-1 is recorded as having contested nine Formula 1 World Championships over this period and has raced in the historic Masters in the UK and Europe over the last ten years.

The Ensign N179 of Paul Tattersall participated in 11 Formula 1 World Championship events during the 1979 season starting its career at the South African Grand Prix event. Towards the end of the season the team was sponsored by Rainbow Jeans and after the USA Grand Prix the car remained in the USA until 1993 when it returned to the United Kingdom. Rebuilt in 2016/17 to the specifications and colour scheme in which it appeared in the Monaco Grand Prix, the car has raced regularly around the world in the FIA Masters Formula 1 Championship.

The Lotus 81 of Steve Boultbee-Brooks was built around a basic sheet aluminium structure derived from the Lotus 80 and a mid-season replacement monocoque led to the Lotus 81B designation. Drivers included subsequent World Champions Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell. Former test driver Mansell was given a first Grand Prix drive in the first 81B in Austria and performed well despite considerable problems. The Lotus 81 continued racing over several years in different colours often racing without nose fins.

Joining the other cars on track will be the Hesketh 308-1 of James Hagan. This car gave World Champion James Hunt, racing at Silverstone International Trophy in 1974, his first overall race victory in a Formula 1 car. The car made a total of 12 race starts, nine of which were Grand Prix starts between James Hunt, Alan Jones and Harald Ertl between 1974 and 1975. 

The Phillip Island Classic – Festival of Motorsport takes place on 10-12 March at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the gates, with one, two and three day passes available.