InterClassics presents F1 cars from every Zandvoort Grand Prix decade during 28th edition of Classic Car Show Maastricht

Return to tradition: 2023 classic-car year starts at MECC Maastricht

Maastricht, 22 December 2022 – From Thursday, 12 January through Sunday, 15 January 2023, MECC Maastricht will once again be the centre of attention for vintage car enthusiasts in the Benelux. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, the exhibition is back. Around 1,000 vintage cars, youngtimers and supercars will be on display on 35,000 m² of show floor space. This edition will place a special focus on Circuit Zandvoort’s Formula 1 history. Revolving around the central theme of ‘Dutch Grand Prix Classics’, InterClassics will present F1 cars from 1950 to 1985. As a modern ‘classic’, Max Verstappen’s championship car, the Red Bull RB16B, is an obligatory part of this line-up. These cars are being made available on loan by various international museums and private collectors. Fans of virtual racing will be able to indulge their passion at the Sim Expo. In cooperation with international hardware and software developers, Sim Formula Europe will reveal the latest sim racing technologies. Visitors are invited to ‘hop in’ and try out the setups for themselves. On Saturday, the world’s best simracers will compete for a 10,000-Euro prize pool.

Dutch Grand Prix Classics

Race-lovers in the Netherlands have been under the Formula 1 spell ever since Max Verstappen’s overwhelming success. The return of the Dutch Grand Prix in 2021 was the icing on the cake. To celebrate, InterClassics is paying tribute to these Dutch Grand Prix Classics by presenting Formula 1cars from every decade of the Dutch Grand Prix. Visitors can see the very first car that won the Dutch Grand Prix: a Talbot Lago T26C driven by Frenchman Louis Rosier. Other highlights include the Ferrari 156 Sharknose and the Lotus 21 belonging to F1 world champion Jim Clark, both of which ended up in the 1961 Zandvoort F1’s winner’s circle. This edition’s poster stars a Lotus fitted out in John Player Special livery. InterClassics will be presenting no fewer than two of these black and gold racers, including world champion Nigel Mansell’s Lotus 87.

Dutch national pride

Apart from national racing hero Max Verstappen’s car, the Shadow DN9 belonging to his compatriot Jan Lammers will also be on display. The car is indelibly stamped in the memory of many a Dutch racing fan thanks to of the exuberant Samson tobacco advertising. A lesser-known name is Dries van der Lof. He was at the starting line with an HWM in 1952 after the KNAC (Royal Dutch Auto Club) paid him 2000 Dutch guilders for his participation in order to draw crowds. Sadly, Dries didn’t make it to the finish line. The Louwman Museum in The Hague is also making Carel Godin de Beaufort’s Porsche 718/2 available for the exhibition. As was customary at the time, the car is decked out in the Dutch racing colour, orange.

Premiere

Visitors can look forward to the premiere of a very special Lancia Delta Integrale. Dutch company Maturo Cars is launching a completely revised version of the popular rally car from the 1990s at the show. Trained eyes will recognise the many advanced upgrades that make this Group A racer a reliable rally car. The optimised Stradale takes it a step further. Co-founder Marco Geeratz explains:

‘Many people think that a street car and the rally version are, for the most part, similar. The opposite is true! The reinforcements needed to make a car rally-ready are endless. Since this car delivers almost double the power of the original, the Maturo Integrale contains over two thousand custom-made parts. Over 10,000 hours of development time are involved in translating this into a competitive street car that’s a pleasure to drive.’

Sim Racing Expo

When they enter the hall, virtual racing fans will immediately get what they came for at the Sim Expo, organised by Sim Formula Europe. At the Sim Expo, visitors can sit in the set-ups created by leading simulator developers and try them out. On Saturday, the world’s best simracers will compete for a 10,000-Euro prize pool at the Sim Arena. One of the participants is Jarno Opmeer; this Dutchman is the official simulator tester for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. This race will be held on a virtual circuit that runs through the streets of Maastricht. Anyone at home can follow the race live online and the regional channel, L1. Admission to the Sim Expo is free of charge.

InterClassics Classic Car Show Maastricht will be held at MECC Maastricht from Thursday, 12 through Sunday, 15 January 2023. The classic-car exhibition traditionally attracts many buyers and enthusiasts. Admission tickets are available for purchase online at a discount: Online price for adults: €17.50 (normal price at the door for adults: €20) Children 12 and under: free of charge. For further information on the exhibition, please visit www.interclassics.events.

The Formula 1 cars that will be on display in the theme plaza are: