Race Retro 2026

Race Retro 2026 at Stoneleigh Park – A Must-Attend Historic Motorsport Show

Race Retro 2026 returned to Stoneleigh Park, once again confirming why Race Retro remains one of the UK’s premier historic motorsport events. Held over three days, Race Retro brought together iconic rally cars, classic race machinery, industry exhibitors, live demonstrations and thousands of passionate fans.

For anyone with an interest in historic rallying, classic racing cars, or motorsport photography, Race Retro continues to be one of the standout shows of the year.

Arriving early, we were fortunate enough to be parked inside the park on hard standing. Located next to the scrutinising hall, also known as the cattle shed, we took the opportunity to get up close to the cars that would be taking to the stage later that morning.

However, we didn’t have long with these great-looking machines. Before we knew it, they were firing into life and heading off to the paddock to prepare for the live rally stage.

Race Retro Live Rally Stage – The Headline Attraction

The centrepiece of Race Retro 2026 was the ever-popular Live Rally Stage. Two temporary rally courses, marked out with straw bales, hosted a rolling programme of iconic machinery. Spectator barriers were positioned at a greater distance than in previous years — a reflection of modern safety standards. While this increased the gap between fans and cars, it ensured the event remained both thrilling and responsibly managed.

Despite a heavy media presence in-front of the fans during the morning sessions which did distract from the event, the action on track remained the star of the show. Classic Ford Escorts, Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos thrilled the sizeable crowd. Alongside several rarer rally machines that added variety to the running order.

Group B Cars at Race Retro

A major highlight of Race Retro each year is the appearance of legendary Group B rally cars. Although numbers were limited and drivers understandably exercised restraint. Given the extraordinary values these cars now command — seeing these icons in motion remains a rare treat for rally fans.

The cars that stood out for me on the day were the icons of rallying, the Audi Quattros. The Quattros were so important because it revolutionised rallying by proving that four-wheel drive was the future of the World Rally Championship. When it debuted in the early 1980s, most rivals were rear-wheel drive. The Quattro’s superior traction on gravel, snow and wet tarmac gave it a decisive advantage and forced every major manufacturer to follow suit.

Competing in the wild era of Group B, it not only won world titles but also sparked a technological arms race that reshaped rally car design forever. Modern WRC cars still owe their four-wheel-drive DNA to the breakthrough established by the Quattro. And that sound as they passed, just glorious.

Passenger Rally Rides

The second stage at Race Retro was dedicated to passenger experiences. For £45, visitors could strap into the co-driver’s seat and experience live rally action first-hand. From the expressions on participants’ faces, it was one of the most memorable features of Race Retro 2026. Interestingly, the passenger stage often delivered more committed driving and bigger sideways moments. This for me made it a prime location for capturing dynamic motorsport photography.

Inside Race Retro 2026 – The Exhibition Halls

When the afternoon clouds rolled in, attention shifted indoors. With five exhibition halls in operation, Race Retro 2026 offered extensive displays, interviews and shopping opportunities. For those with deep pockets, temptation was everywhere. Automotive art, books, memorabilia, scale models toys (sorry — “model collector vehicles”), and auto jumble treasures.

For serious collectors, the Iconic Auctions hall delivered headline figures. One standout sale saw a 1987 Renault 5 Turbo ‘Super production’ achieve £331,895 — proof that the market for historic competition cars remains exceptionally strong. The cost-of-living crisis clearly hasn’t reached everyone.

Motorsport Personalities at Race Retro

The interview stage featured an impressive line-up of motorsport names on Saturday, including: Kalle Grundel, Hollie McRae, Alex Brundle, Maria Costello and Chris Smiley. These sessions gave fans insight into careers spanning rallying, circuit racing and motorcycle competition, while also providing a welcome seated break during a busy day exploring Race Retro.

Martini Livery Theme

A visual highlight of Race Retro 2026 was the central display celebrating the iconic Martini racing livery. The famous red and blue stripes looked as striking as ever across a range of historic rally and circuit cars.

Single-seaters, classic race cars and historic rally machines filled the surrounding display areas, reinforcing why Race Retro is regarded as one of the UK’s leading historic motorsport exhibitions.

Motorsport Photography at Race Retro 2026

Race Retro continues to be a rewarding event for motorsport photographers. The mix of live rally action, static displays and interview opportunities provides a diverse shooting environment.

For this year’s event, the kit the PistonClick team used included:

• Nikon D500 DSLR (both)
• 70–200mm f/2.8 lens with 1.4x teleconverter (both)
• 17–55mm f/2.8 for indoor and paddock work (PistonClick)
• 18-140mm f3.5-5.6 AF-S G ED VR DX (RPW Photography)

The flexibility of this setup allowed for both long-reach action shots on the rally stage and wide-aperture work inside the exhibition halls. As always with motorsport photography, awareness and positioning are just as important as technical ability — particularly at live demonstration events like Race Retro.

Why Race Retro Remains a Must-Attend Motorsport Show

Race Retro consistently delivers:

For fans of historic motorsport, collectors, photographers and enthusiasts alike, Race Retro 2026 at Stoneleigh Park reinforced why Race Retro remains one of the UK’s essential motorsport events. If historic rallying, classic racing cars and motorsport heritage matter to you, Race Retro deserves a firm place in your calendar. Especially if you also like photographing  motorsport, which I do.

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