GTSCC (GT & Sports Car Cup) 2012 race season gets off to a flying start at the Silverstone International meeting, 19th & 20th May.

Adrian Newey OBE will be racing his Jaguar Lightweight E-Type, for the first time with GTSCC, together with co-driver Christian Horner, having previously run the car at the Goodwood Revival meeting, winning the Tourist Trophy in 2009. The Lanzante prepared Lightweight E-Type will compete in this 60-minute, invitation only, race for two drivers on the full Grand Prix circuit as part of the HSCC (Historic Sports Car Club) event.

Newey renown for designing championship winning F1 cars at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull Racing is a keen amateur racer of historic cars. Christian Horner’s driving skills were honed racing in Formula Renault, F3 & F2, managing his own race team Arden, before Red Bull Racing brought him into Formula One.

The GT & Sports Car Cup is a 2-driver endurance race series for genuine Pre-’66 GTs and Pre-’63 Sports Cars raced in the World Endurance Championship in period. With a grid of 45 cars, Newey and Horner will compete against other E-Types, Maserati, Morgan, Lotus and AC Cobra’s. Driven by Historic racers John Clark, Jeremy Welch, Sandy Watson, Leo Voyazides, Simon Hadfield and Gary Pearson amongst others - expect to see some of the most exciting racing of the new season.

An English race series, GTSCC organised by Vanessa Marçais of Automobiles Historiques is now in its sixth season. Featuring grids of outstanding Historic GT and Sports racing cars at four events around Europe each year, Silverstone 2012 is followed by Monza June 1st- 3rd , Dijon June 22nd – 24th concluding at the Algarve Historic Festival in Portimao, Portugal 18th – 21st October.

Vanessa Marçais said "We are delighted Adrian Newey and Christian Horner have chosen our opening race to compete with the Lightweight E-Type. GTSCC has grown into the premier series for GT & Sports cars. Being a highly competitive race series with quality grids means we stand out from the crowded Historic motorsports calendar. We want everyone to enjoy the weekend and our hospitality area provides a base to meet like-minded competitors whilst racing your favourite Historic GT or Sports car".

The Silverstone International race meeting is based on the Non-Championship Formula One race, The International Trophy organised from 1949 to 1978 by the BRDC at Silverstone. In its day Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Alberto Ascari and Niki Lauda competed for Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus, BRM and McLaren amongst others. Today this is the premier HSCC Historic race meeting using the full Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone.