Formula 1’s sleek, futuristic race cars may seem to get all the glory these days, but there are plenty of events around the world where you can watch priceless antiques battle for speed.

Check out the top upcoming vintage car circuits and consider creating a last-minute vacation around a blast to the past — including several races held in honor of Formula 1’s 75^th anniversary.

© Jaclyn Trop

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (Aug. 13–16)

Monterey Car Week has evolved into a 10-day celebration of automotive history. The key event for true racing enthusiasts is held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where nearly 450 historic race cars battle for victory across more than a dozen categories. In celebration of Formula 1’s 75^th anniversary this year, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will convene

a group of 25 vintage F1 cars on the 2.2-mile track known for its Corkscrew turn. The 59-foot drop in elevation, blind crest and uphill apex make it one of the most legendary turns in motorsports.

Displayed F1 cars, built during the franchise’s non-turbo era spanning 1966 to 1985, will compete in the Mario Andretti Trophy race. When he’s not providing commentary as the event’s Grand Marshal, F1 champion Jensen Button will suit up behind the wheel of his 1967 Alfa Romeo GT Junior.

Silverstone Festival (Aug. 22–24)

Formula 1’s diamond jubilee continues at the Silverstone Festival on England’s famed Silverstone Circuit. This three-day event hosts races in categories such as GT3 Legends and 500cc F3 cars from dawn until dusk, accompanied by musical performances from Craig David, Natasha Bedingfield and Ministry of Sound Orchestral. This year, the festival hosts the World Champions Collection, a gathering of grand prix cars associated with all 34 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champions.

It’s a fitting place for the fete. The circuit, near the village of Silverstone in the Midlands, hosted the first world championship race in 1950. Together, the F1 cars chart the full 75-year history of the series, spanning the Alfa Romeo 158 driven by Giuseppe Farina to one of Max Verstappen’s recent Red Bull Racing championship-winning cars.

Driving an Aston Martin DB5 © Jaclyn Trop

Goodwood Revival (Sept. 12–14)
Goodwood Revival, an annual highlight of the British social set, is a classic car race held on the grounds of West Sussex, England’s Goodwood Estate and home to the Duke of Richmond. As one of the calendar’s most prestigious events, this three-day festival is the only sporting event of its kind to be staged entirely in period theme, extolling motorsport’s midcentury era. Drivers competing at Goodwood Circuit are hand-selected by the Duke.

Even spectators dress and drive with care. For the 60^th anniversary of James Bond’s beloved DB5 in 2023, Aston Martin lent me a $1.4 million original in mint condition to cruise into the paddock — a hair-raising exercise in left-hand driving (and left-hand shifting) for this American. Fashion icons turn out for the famed Best Dressed competition. This year, Swinging 60s fashionistas Zandra Rhodes, Pattie Boyd and Penelope Tree will attend the Revival.