Launched in 2026, 2‑Litre Sportscars pays tribute to a European championship that disappeared fifty years ago. The grid will feature lightweight prototypes from marques such as Lola, Chevron, Cheetah and Ginetta, racing once more on three circuits that hosted the category in period: Brands Hatch, Charade and Silverstone.

A bit of history

In 1968, new endurance regulations limited engine capacity in the top category to 3-litres and 5‑litres for cars built in batches of 25 or more. Owners of 2‑litre prototypes were therefore faced with a dilemma: either compete at the highest level, aiming only for anonymous class wins, or restrict themselves to national championships. It was clear that an intermediate solution could be found, and it was in 1970, with the creation of a European championship specifically for these cars.

Over six seasons, it graced by Le Mans winners (Derek Bell, Vic Elford, Gerard Larousse and Helmut Marko), F1 drivers (including Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Arturo Merzario and one Niki Lauda) and even rally stars (Sandro Munari and Jean Ragnotti). It featured races from 300 to 600 km on iconic circuits.

Motor Racing Legends aims to follow in these famous footsteps, returning to the circuits where the European Championship once raced. The 2‑Litre Sportscars category welcomes cars built between 1962 and 1976, divided into three classes that reflect key stages in their development: cars on treaded tyres; cars on slick tyres; and later cars with slicks and aerodynamic wings.

Three Meetings

Three races are planned for the 2026 season, each held at a venue that hosted these cars in period: Brands Hatch, the Circuit de Charade and Silverstone.

London Historic Trophy, Brands Hatch
19th-21st June

Sir Stirling Moss called the circuit “The most beautiful in the world” and though it is shorter (and safer) than it was in the 1970s, it remains a staggering venue. Guy Edwards triumphed in 1973 with Lola, before Gérard Larousse led a one-two for the V6-powered Alpines the following year.

At the time, this race, known as the 300 km d’Auvergne, was part of the Trophées d’Auvergne. Motor Racing Legends has been granted permission to bring this storied name back in 2026. 2-Litre Sportscars is front and centre of this new meeting.

Trophées d’Auvergne, Circuit de Charade
10th-12th July

Sir Stirling Moss called the circuit “The most beautiful in the world” and though it is shorter (and safer) than it was in the 1970s, it remains a staggering venue. Guy Edwards triumphed in 1973 with Lola, before Gérard Larousse led a one-two for the V6-powered Alpines the following year.

At the time, this race, known as the 300 km d’Auvergne, was part of the Trophées d’Auvergne. Motor Racing Legends has been granted permission to bring this storied name back in 2026. 2-Litre Sportscars is front and centre of this new meeting.

BRDC Classic, Silverstone GP
24th-26th July 

Like Charade, the venue was twice graced by the European Championship in the ‘70s. Toine Hezemans’ Chevron (1971) and Arturo Merzario’s Abarth Osella (1972) were victorious. Silverstone is a perfect venue for these lightweight, high-revving cars, with a combination of sweeping turns.

With the introduction of the brand-new BRDC Classic to the venue in 2026, it is a perfect opportunity to bring a dedicated 2-litre race back.

A Great Variety

At the time, a wide range of manufacturers, from the most prestigious to the more obscure, embarked on the development of 2‑litre prototypes, as illustrated by these four models from 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1976, all entered in this season’s 2‑Litre Sportscars.

Year: 1970 ｜ Car: Ginetta G16 ｜ Chassis: G014
Driver: Olivier Huez ｜ Team: Wassermann Racing Services

French driver Olivier Huez deserves credit for bringing a Ginetta G16 back on track last year. Built in very limited numbers in Witham, Essex, this sports‑racer suffered in period from a lack of development, limiting its success and making it notoriously demanding to drive. Unlike many manufacturers, who designed their chassis around a specific engine, Ginetta allowed a wide variety of powerplants, including units from BRM, Coventry Climax, Cosworth and BMW. The example entered this year in the 2‑Litre Sportscar category is fitted with a BMW M10 engine producing around 200 horsepower, coupled to a Hewland FT200 gearbox.

Year: 1972 ｜ Car: Lola T292 ｜ chassis : HU40
Driver: TBC ｜ Team: Legacy Outlaws Racing

Designed around an aluminum monocoque, the Lola T292 was the work of Bob Marston, assisted by two young engineers who were then unknown: Patrick Head and John Barnard. That lineup helps explain why it became one of the most successful sports‑racers of the two‑liter era, scoring no fewer than 32 major victories between 1973 and 1976. Chassis HU40 was campaigned by the factory team in the colors of Barclays International Bank and claimed three wins in the 1973 European Championship. It took many years before the car returned to historic racing, as its restoration lasted more than a decade. The shakedown, carried out by Jan Magnussen himself in February at Donington, reportedly went well according to the Legacy Outlaws team.

Year: 1974 ｜ Car: Chevron B26 ｜ Chassis: 74‑02
Driver: Jamie Constable ｜ Team: OC Racing Limited

Designed by Derek Bennett, who personally oversaw and tested all Chevron models, the B26 represented an innovative step for the marque. It featured a full aluminum monocoque with rear suspension derived from the B25 single‑seater, effectively making it a Formula 2 car fitted with sports‑car bodywork. Its debut season coincided with the dominance of the Alpine Renault A441, which limited its championship success. Chassis 74‑02 was later entered in the South African Springbok Series, where John Watson and Ian Scheckter secured victory in the Cape Town 500 km at Killarney. Retained as a works car, it was subsequently driven by several accomplished racers, including Peter Gethin and Vern Schuppan.

Year: 1976 ｜ Car: Cheetah G601 ｜ Chassis: 2
Driver: Beat Eggimann ｜ Team: Eggimann Racing

Before Sauber emerged on the international endurance racing scene, Switzerland was represented by the small but ambitious Cheetah marque. Designed by engineer Chuck Graemiger, the cars were hand‑built in Lausanne, with fewer than ten chassis produced between 1974 and 1984. Chassis G601‑2 competed notably in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, driven among others by alpine skier Philippe Roux, fourth in the downhill event at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. Powered by a 2.0‑litre Ford Cosworth BDG inline‑four producing around 300 horsepower, the car’s best results were three fourth‑place finishes, achieved at Dijon in 1977, the Coppa Florio in 1978, and Paul Ricard in 1979.