ADAC Nürburgring Classic

Historic Grand Prix Car Association

Formula 1 history comes to life

The Historic Grand Prix Car Association (HGPCA) brings the great racing cars of early Grand Prix and Formula 1 history back to the race track.

Since its founding in 1979, the international association has dedicated itself to the preservation and sporting use of historic Grand Prix vehicles. Its scope extends from the technically fascinating racing cars of the pre-war era to the legendary monoposts of the 1950s and 1960s.

Race cars that wrote motorsport history

The HGPCA grids bring together icons from different eras: front-engine Grand Prix cars from before 1961 as well as the revolutionary rear-engine designs of early Formula 1. Among them are vehicles with compressor and intake engines, classic Formula 2 racing cars, and the delicate 1.5-liter monopost cars of the early 1960s. The classes are based on year of construction, design, and displacement – thus preserving the characteristic technical differences of their respective eras.

History under racing conditions

The HGPCA does not view historic race cars as museum pieces. The cars are used according to their original specifications and have actually been raced on traditional Grand Prix circuits in Europe. Qualifying and several races provide real competition – with vehicles whose technology had to do without modern aerodynamics, electronic driving aids, and today’s comfort standards.

A journey through time on four wheels

When a Maserati, Lotus, Cooper or Ferrari makes its way onto the track from the great years of Grand Prix racing, motorsport history becomes immediately tangible. Names like Fangio, Moss, Ascari, Hawthorn, Brabham, Clark and Surtees stand for this era – and these very same racing cars are bringing the HGPCA back to life today. At events in Great Britain and on traditional European circuits, the series is therefore one of the highlights of historical motorsport.