Hoy targets Silverstone gold 22 | 05 | 2018

SCOTLAND’S OLYMPIC LEGEND Sir Chris Hoy will race an LMP2 car again when he makes his Silverstone Classic debut in July. Two years after finishing an impressive 17th on his debut in  the Le Mans 24-Hours, the six-time cycling gold medallist will compete on four wheels in the Masters Endurance Legends category. (Related: Chris Hoy — My amazing Le Mans debut)

“I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never been to the Classic until now but,” Hoy admitted, “but I’m very excited as everyone keeps telling me I’ll love every minute of it.

“The accessibility of the pits, the cars and the drivers seems to be on a different level to most forms of racing, so fans can really get up close and enjoy the atmosphere.” (Related: Sir Chris bags record donut haul)

Following his retirement from cycling, Hoy forged a partnership with Nissan which saw him contest a season in British GT in 2014. The 42-year-old Edinburgh racer then went on to win the LMP3 class of the European Le Mans Series with Team LNT in a Ginetta P3-15 a year later.

Now Hoy will enter the fledgling Masters Endurance Legends series for 1995 to '12 prototype and GT cars at the July 20-22 Silverstone Classic event. He will again compete in the LMP2 class, driving a Courage LC75 that was entered at Le Mans in 2007.

"I was genuinely expecting to find myself in something like a Mini, which would have been fun, but this is a serious bit of kit,” Hoy beamed. “It’s a proper race car with a bit of downforce. It's just going to be fantastic.

"Being such a modern classic, the Courage is right at the top of the tree in terms of a car to experience at an historic event like this.

"It just looks amazing and, to be part of this new race series, as well as racing on the full Grand Prix circuit in front of the big crowds at the Silverstone Classic, will be incredible."

Related: Mitchell bags podium with Hoy on LMP3 debut

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Jim McGill