Here’s How to Get Your Bank Holiday Weekend Speed Fix

What do you have planned for the spring bank holiday? A trip to the beach? A round of golf? A camping trip with the family? While it’s always great to get out and make the most of the sunshine, you’ve got to have a contingency plan in case of rain — so you can make the absolute most of the long weekend.

For motorsport fans, there’s no shortage of races taking place over the bank holiday, giving you plenty of opportunity to get your speed fix. Whether you watch events unfold on TV or head to the circuit, the weekend promises plenty of edge-of-your-seat action — from Formula 1 to the World Touring Car Championships.

Here, we give a guide on what to watch to get your weekend speed fix this bank holiday.

Monaco Grand Prix

The 2017 Formula 1 season has got off to an exhilarating start, with a classic rivalry emerging between Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. With only a few points separating the top three racers on the season scoreboard, F1 pundits are already hailing this year’s championship as one of the all-time greats, so make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action. Over the spring bank holiday, F1 will travel to France for perhaps the most prestigious event in the calendar: Monaco. Overlooking the Mediterranean, Monaco’s winding street circuit makes for an exhilarating spectacle. For those unable to attend the race in person, coverage of Monaco will be shown on terrestrial television (Channel 4) for the first time in five years.

Monaco formula 1

World Touring Car Championships — Germany

After Formula 1, the World Touring Car Championship is arguably the most exciting motorsport to watch on TV. Over the upcoming bank holiday, the event heads to Germany and the infamous Nürburgring, or ‘The Green Hell’ as it’s become known. This legendary racetrack seriously puts drivers through their paces, with over 15 miles of tarmac to negotiate and 64 heart-stopping corners to contend with. The action can be watched on free-to-air TV channel Quest TV, and races are set to kick off in Germany on Friday 27 May, just in time for a weekend of exhilarating race action.

FIA World Rallycross Championship

If you’ve never watched the FIA World Rallycross Championship, we’d recommend tuning in to the British leg of the event when it kicks off on 26 May. Rallycross is a form of sprint style motor racing in which drivers race on a mixed-terrain circuit, in cars like those found in the World Rally Championships. Rather than competing in separate time trials, however, rallycross sees drivers race side-by-side on the tight circuit, which only adds to the excitement. This year’s event takes place at the Lydden Hill circuit near Dover, Kent, so head on down for your chance to watch the action.

World Rallycross Championship

BRSCC Race Weekend

Taking place at the fabled Silverstone racetrack in Northamptonshire, the BRSCC weekender is a multi-vehicle, multi-discipline motorsport event featuring several different championships and series. This includes the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship, the Excool OSS Championship, HRDC Touring Greats and the Teekay Couplings Production GTI Championship. Tickets for the event are available for just £10, and with food, drink and live music on offer, the event promises a great day out as well as plenty of thrilling racing.

FIA European Drag Racing Championships

Drag racing may be more synonymous with the US than the UK, but this exciting form of motorsport is now gaining traction across the pond — with the FIA now operating its very own European championships. The European version of this once all-American style of racing takes place at the Santa Pod Raceway in Poddington, Bedfordshire, and promises a fun, fast and incredibly loud day out. Drag racing will be taking place at Santa Pod throughout the bank holiday weekend, so if you’re in the area we’d recommend heading down to watch the super-fast dragsters in action.

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship

If you can’t make it to Monte Carlo to watch Formula 1 and you don’t fancy staying in to watch the race on TV, why not head to Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk, where you can watch round 7, 8 and 9 of the exhilarating Formula 3 Championship. With 9 teams competing across 24 rounds, the 2017 F3 season is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive so far, as 20 would-be F1 drivers battle it out to claim their place on the podium. Snetterton racetrack is lauded as one of the best in the country, offering great views of the action and some demanding challenges for the drivers.

British Formula 3 Championship

Prestone RSAC Scottish Rally

Though strictly not taking place over the bank holiday weekend, the next leg of the Prestone rally is well worth considering if you’re a fan of rallying. The RSAC Scottish Rally is set to take place on 19 May, with drivers tearing across the Scottish Borderlands on an exciting, all-terrain route between Dumfries and Moffat. The race begins on Friday evening when drivers will compete in a couple of stages, before a full day of time trials on Saturday, with the race set to end at around 5pm. The drivers will cover a total of stages during the event, and current championship place holder, Fredrik Ahlin, will be hoping to increase his lead behind the wheel of his race-ready Ford Fiesta R5.

With the May bank holiday promising an action-packed weekend of edge-of-your-seat racing, you’re guaranteed to get your speed fix whether at home or at the track.

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Image credits: EKSRX, Matt Buck