Sporting

The Cotswold Motorsport Guide

Formula 1 at Silverstone, historic racing at Castle Combe, and hill climbs through Cotswold parkland at Prescott — the definitive guide to motorsport within an hour of the Cotswolds.

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September 2026 – December 2027

1. The Venues

Silverstone Circuit

Silverstone, Northamptonshire · ~28 miles / 39 minutes from Chipping Norton, on the AONB’s northeastern edge

Built on a former WWII airfield and the venue for the first-ever official Formula 1 World Championship race in 1950, Silverstone remains F1’s most historic home and hosts the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, MotoGP, the British Touring Car Championship, British GT and the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Silverstone, alongside one of the busiest club-racing calendars in the country. Also runs single-seater, GT and rally driving experiences for guests who want to get on track themselves.

Event calendar:  silverstone.co.uk/events

Castle Combe Circuit

Castle Combe, Wiltshire · inside the Cotswolds AONB

A former WWII airfield turned circuit in 1950 — one of Britain’s oldest permanent racing venues, a few minutes from the famously pretty village of the same name. Runs a full season of club racing, action/drift days, and historic racing; its Autumn Classic Historic Racing Festival won the RAC’s Historic Awards Best Competitive Event in 2023.

Event calendar:  castlecombecircuit.co.uk/all-events/

Prescott Speed Hill Climb

Gotherington, near Cheltenham · inside the Cotswolds AONB

Owned and run by the Bugatti Owners’ Club since 1938, an 880-yard hill climb through Cotswold parkland — genuinely one of the most picturesque motorsport venues in Britain. Hosts British and Midland Hill Climb Championship rounds, VSCC vintage meetings, rally hill climbs and, new for 2026, the Prescott Engineering & Innovation Festival.

Event calendar:  prescotthillclimb.co.uk/event-calendar

Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb

Worcestershire · ~37 miles / 52 minutes from Winchcombe, on the AONB’s northwestern edge

The world’s oldest motorsport venue still run on its original course, opened in 1905 — a 1,000-yard hill climb through a wooded Worcestershire valley. Today it mixes timed British and Midland Automobile Club championship rounds with a strong programme of social meets, classic car shows and touring assemblies.

Event calendar:  shelsleywalsh.com/events

Bicester Motion (formerly Bicester Heritage)

Bicester, Oxfordshire · ~27 miles / 39 minutes from Burford

Not a race circuit but Britain’s leading classic motoring hub — a former RAF airfield turned business park of restoration specialists, dealers and collectors. Home to the quarterly “Scramble” open days that draw thousands of enthusiasts and their cars onto the old runways. A must for any car-mad guest, even without a helmet on.

Scramble dates:  bicestermotion.com/scramble

Rissington Kart Club

Little Rissington, near Bourton-on-the-Water · inside the Cotswolds AONB

A Motorsport UK-recognised kart circuit on a former RAF base, hosting British Karting Championship rounds, Midland Championship rounds and club racing. An owner-driver club rather than pay-and-drive karting, but genuine grassroots motorsport inside the Cotswolds themselves.

Club website:  rissingtonkartclub.co.uk

2. The Motorsport Calendar — September 2026 to December 2027

Sorted chronologically. Castle Combe, Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Bicester Motion and Rissington Kart Club have not yet published 2027 dates at time of writing — expect new calendars to appear between November 2026 and February 2027, in a similar pattern to the 2026 season shown below. Silverstone’s calendar is confirmed furthest ahead.

September 2026

  • 4–5 — LZ World Tour (drifting) (Castle Combe)
  • 5–6 — Race weekend (Rissington Kart Club)
  • 11–13 — European Le Mans Series (Silverstone)
  • 12–13 — Autumn Classic Historic Racing Festival (Castle Combe)
  • 12–13 — Harvest Festival (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 17 — Cars in the Valley (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 19 — Chill on the Hill (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 19–20 — BRSCC National (Silverstone)
  • 19–20 — British & Midland Hill Climb Championships — Closing Meeting (Prescott)
  • 23 — Scenic Tour (Friends of Prescott fundraiser) (Prescott)
  • 26 — Vintage Long Course (VSCC) (Prescott)
  • 26 — Performance Action Day (Castle Combe)
  • 26 — MAC 125th Celebration — Take to the Hill & Take to the Road (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 26–27 — Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) (Silverstone)
  • 26–27 — Race weekend (season finale) (Rissington Kart Club)

October 2026

  • 3 — Champions Coronation Race Day (Castle Combe)
  • 3 — Equipe Super Sprint (Silverstone)
  • 3–4 — BARC International (Silverstone)
  • 3–4 — Prescott Engineering & Innovation Festival (Prescott)
  • 4 — Sunday Scramble (50th anniversary of RAF Bicester’s closure) — sold out (Bicester Motion)
  • 10–11 — BRSCC Season Finale (Silverstone)
  • 10–11 — HSCC Finals (Silverstone)
  • 11 — Breakfast Club (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 17 — CSCC Modern & Retro Race Day (Castle Combe)
  • 17–18 — Motor Racing Legends (Silverstone)
  • 24 — Halloween Action Day (Castle Combe)
  • 24 — 750 Motor Club Birkett Relay (Silverstone)
  • 31–1 Nov — Walter Hayes Trophy (Formula Ford) (Silverstone)

November 2026

  • 7 — Rallye Prescott (day and night runs) (Prescott)
  • 7–8 — DAE Castle Combe Circuit Stage Rally (8 stages, 40 miles) (Castle Combe)
  • 11 — Prescott Hill Climb Simulator Experience (Prescott)
  • 13–15 — Classic Motor Show at the NEC, Birmingham (off-site presence) (Shelsley Walsh)
  • 18 — Dinner with Marc Allum (Friends of Prescott fundraiser) (Prescott)

December 2026

  • 11–31 — Christmas at Silverstone — Lap of Lights & Santa’s Garage (Silverstone)

2027 (confirmed so far)

  • 23–25 Apr — FIA World Endurance Championship — 6 Hours of Silverstone (Silverstone)
  • TBA — Formula 1 British Grand Prix (Silverstone)
  • TBA — MotoGP British Grand Prix (Silverstone)
  • 23–25 Jul (provisional, marked “coming soon”) — BRDC Classic (Silverstone)
  • 7–8 Aug (provisional, marked “coming soon”) — British GT Championship (Silverstone)

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