Brands Hatch will be filled with classic British sportscars this Bank Holiday weekend, when the Lotus Festival celebrates the UK’s world-famous racing and sports car marque. 
Europe’s biggest Lotus event will include racing, Formula 1 car demonstrations, vast car displays and much more.

Lotus has enjoyed great success at Brands Hatch, including wins in four of the first five Grands Prix to be held at the Kent venue, and the racing tradition continues with Lotus-themed competition on the full Grand Prix circuit.

A full racing programme will be headlined by Lotus Cup Europe plus a combined Lotus Cup and Elise Trophy grid. Both will feature the full range of Lotus cars, including the Elise, Exige and Evora. In addition there’s a full supporting package that include Formula 3 single seaters, sports and saloon cars.

There will also be demonstrations from Formula 1 cars on Sunday, honouring the enduring influence that the marque has had on the sport, plus the Lotus 59 F3 car that was featured in the recent movie Rush. The 59 featured in the early career of British F1 hero James Hunt, who won the World Championship 40 years ago.

Visitors will also be able to watch Lotus Sunbeam rally cars in action on the Lotusbits rally stage, and even take an adrenaline-filled sideways ride alongside a competition driver.

The venue will also be filled with hundreds of Lotuses, with owners flocking from across the continent to display their cars. These will range from 1950s Elites and Sevens, to Elans, Europas, Esprits and the modern-day Elises, Exiges and Evoras, and many of these will be paraded on the circuit on Sunday.

No fewer than seven Lotus dealers will showcase the latest models, including the brand-new, supercar-beating 3-Eleven, plus the Evora 400, Exige Sport 350 and Elise Cup 250. There will also be a huge trade village with everything from souvenirs to car parts, and a show-and-shine competition, featuring the continent’s most pristine Lotuses.