Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour
{{short description|Sports car race in endurance racing}}
{{Infobox motor race
|Race title = Silverstone 24 Hour
|Logo =
|Track map = 200px
|Series long = 24H Series
|Series short =
|Venue = Silverstone Circuit
|Sponsor =
|First race = 2005
|First series race =
|Last race =
|Distance =
|Laps =
|Duration = 24 hours
|Previous names =
|Most wins driver = Jamie Campbell-Walter, Dieter Quester, Dirk Werner, Mark Poole, Martin Short, Richard Abra (2)
|Most wins team = Duller Motorsport, Rollcentre Racing (2)
|Most wins manufacturer = BMW (4)
}}
The Silverstone 24 Hour was a sports car race in endurance racing, held annually at Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom until 2018.
The race was originally organised by Britcar. The 2009 race was shortened to 500 miles due to the recession. In 2011 the race used the new arena section for the first time. In 2010 the race continued to use the bridge section that the race had used in previous years despite other racing series already switching to the new layout. The 2013 edition was shortened to 1000 km. For 2015 the race was called the Dunlop 24hr at Silverstone for sponsorship reasons.{{cite web |url=http://www.britcar24hr.co.uk/home/24-hour-racing-england-back/ |title=24 Hour racing in England is BACK! - Britcar |website=www.britcar24hr.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141124043217/http://www.britcar24hr.co.uk/home/24-hour-racing-england-back |archive-date=2014-11-24}}
On October 2, 2015 Creventic, the promoter and organiser of the 24H Series and the Touring Car Endurance Series, announced they would organise the Silverstone 24-Hour race in 2016. It was the third round of the 2016 24H Series season and the first round of the 2016 Touring Car Endurance Series season. Every round of the 24H Series can be entered with a GT car, but this race is only open to non-GT cars.{{cite news|url=http://www.24hseries.com/series/latest-news/announcement-hankook-24h-silverstone-received-with-great-enthusiasm|title=Announcement Hankook 24H Silverstone received with great enthusiasm|work=Creventic|date=October 5, 2015|accessdate=January 1, 2016|archive-date=January 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128220524/http://www.24hseries.com/series/latest-news/announcement-hankook-24h-silverstone-received-with-great-enthusiasm|url-status=live}}
Winners
{{reflist|group="A"}}
Participants
Many big name teams have taken part in the race such as Rollcentre Racing, Jet Alliance Motorsport and Duller Motorsport. As of the end of the 2016 race, Duller Motorsport and Rollcentre Racing are the only teams that have won this event more than once.
Factory effort teams have also attempted it such as Ginetta, Mazda and Nissan.
In 2007, Top Gear took part in this race using a diesel BMW 3 series for a Top Gear Challenge. They finished the race, third in class, ahead of one of their rival teams who were also competing with a diesel BMW 3 Series.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008h368 | title=BBC One - Top Gear, Series 10, Episode 9 | access-date=2022-05-24 | archive-date=2022-05-24 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524204449/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008h368 | url-status=live }}
In 2012, a team of ex-servicemen took part under the Mission Motorsport banner in a Nissan 370Z. They finished in 17th overall, scoring a top ten class result.
In 2015, the Ginetta Nissan LMP3 took its debut 24 hour race start with the factory Team LNT squad. Among the driver roster was six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy. 2015 also marked the first year for a female scoring outright victory; Jamie Chadwick aboard the #35 Beechdean Aston Martin.
Since 2016, the race is restricted to touring cars and 24H-Specials.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Automobile endurance races}}
Category:2005 establishments in England
Category:2018 disestablishments in England
Category:Endurance motor racing
Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2005
Category:Recurring events disestablished in 2018