Getting up close and personal with some of the world’s most desirable supercars and hypercars is one thing, but seeing them go wide-open throttle on a kilometre-long straight is something else.
For attendees of Supercar Fest’s flagship event, The Runway, this past weekend was another opportunity to witness just that.
The event came about in 2019, two years after Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire created a brand-new concrete runway. It was the perfect place for some of the fastest production cars in the UK to put on a show.
The venue is rich in history, spanning back to the Second World War when it was known as RAF Sywell. Tiger Moth pilots were trained here, and Wellington bombers repaired. The 1969 film Battle of Britain starring Sir Michael Caine was filmed in part here too.
Although the runway is the event’s main attraction – and where an Aston Martin Valkyrie hit 200mph last year – there is always lots more to explore, including the Supercar Paddock and First Point Hypercar Zone.
All the cars up for grabs in The Iconic & Classic Car Auction, hosted by Iconic Auctioneers, provided good viewing too. There was something for everyone, from European classics to a few sweet Japanese offerings.
Ciro Ciampi of Petrolhedonism was in his element as the event’s voice, imparting his knowledge and interviewing the drivers as they made their way to the paddocks or geared up to launch off the start line.
Amongst the sea of state-of-the-art machinery, there was a selection of elegant sports and supercars from the past. Standouts for me included this Lamborghini Countach and a couple of Ford GT40s wearing iconic Gulf liveries – they all sounded sublime.
To celebrate the Gumball Rally’s 25th anniversary this year, an incredible selection of supercars dressed in official rally liveries past the gantry. The sound of one of these machines on its own is sweet enough, but a whole ensemble – that’s music to your ears.
Of all the cars that ripped up the runway, one stood above the others for me. Nothing came close to the acceleration of the near-2,000hp all-electric Lotus Evija, and it left most people speechless.
I’ll be back at Sywell, same time next year.
Samuel Cherry
Instagram: samgcherry
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