Autosport International, the annual curtain-raiser to the motorsport season and celebration of performance cars, is now in its 26th year.
As always, there’ll be a hearty display of racing and track-focused cars, a sprinkling of motorsport celebrities and a couple of new car world debuts for good measure.
The show is located across the expansive halls of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and throws open its doors to the public on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January. If you’re planning a trip to the Midlands, here are 10 attractions and experiences not to be missed.
1 - Autocar stand
On our very own display, you’ll be able to get a close look at a selection of our favourite cars from recent months, including the latest Mazda MX-5 and Honda Civic Type R, as well as the McLaren P1 GTR, Aston Martin Vulcan, BMW M4 GTS and Ferrari 488 GTB.
2 - Live Action Arena
Another integral part of the show is the live action arena, where you can watch some of the star attractions perform in this 5000-seat – and notoriously slippery – venue. This year, some of the cars from the Autocar display will take the arena, alongside rallycross champion Petter Solberg, who will perform a precision driving routine, and bike racer and TV presenter Guy Martin appearing as part of a motorcycle troupe.
3 - Williams Martini Racing Formula 1 motorhome
The Williams Martini Racing motorhome will be erected at the show – the first time that the structure has appeared outside of an F1 race setting. Taking pride of place right next to the Autosport stage – where a constant rotation of interviews will be taking place throughout both days – the Williams display will also embrace the company’s heritage and advanced engineering divisions, as well as featuring an extensive line-up of the racing team’s famous F1 cars, from its birth in 1978 to last year’s Mercedes-powered FW37.
4 - Damon Hill
Another Williams legend will grace the show in the shape of 1996 world champion Damon Hill. In Birmingham, he’ll be reunited with the Williams-Renault FW18 in which he won the crown. The show celebrates his illustrious career and marks 20 years since the biggest win of his racing career.
5 - More celebrity guests
Hill won’t be the only famous face to appear at the NEC. A host of motoring and motorsport stars will be at the show, including Williams F1 driver Felipe Massa, Williams top brass Claire Williams and Rob Smedley, Le Mans legend Allan McNish and British Touring Car Championship drivers Colin Turkington, Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Andrew Jordan.
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