Ivan Vicario Martin
El Racing Legends 2024 has once again become a phenomenal success in what has been its tenth edition. More than 11.000 spectators and almost a thousand vehicles have taken part in a festival that gains importance every year. Once again, at LA ESCUDERÍA we have had the opportunity to experience the event with Historic SEATs. The classics department of the Spanish brand moved two Formula 1430, a Cordoban and a Sélex ST5. The pilots repeated regarding 2023, with the fuel-free Salvador Canellas at the command of the first and Jaume Xifré at the command of the second.
Both took part in the Vintage Formula, which brings together fans and owners of classic promotional formula cars. A good collection was gathered at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, with Nissan cars, a Panhard with a front engine, the French MEP with the Citroën GS engine, F-Renault and F-3 or various boats. Among them, he especially called one Peugeot 905 Spider, since these came to run the 24 1992 Hours of Le Mans.
As always, Salvador Canellas Not only did he enjoy and make people enjoy it beautifully, but he also he took his runs completely seriously, hovering in unthinkable times for Cordoban. His best lap was 2:02 minutes, recording a top speed at the end of the straight of 180 km/h! Jaume Xifré, for his part, participated with a spirit gentleman driver, although it went faster and faster as the different rounds passed. Without a doubt, SEAT Historicos' support for this type of event is appreciated.
TRIBUTE TO JORGE MARTÍNEZ ASPAR
If last year the honoree was Jaime Alguersuari, in this Racing Legends 2024 the chosen one was a man from the land. Talk later Jorge Martínez Aspar, pilot born in Alzira (Valencia), who won the Motorcycle World Championship in the 80cc category in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and 125cc in 1988. Furthermore, as head of the Aspar Team he has added another fifteen international titles to his extensive record.
Among those champions with their team, names like Julián Simón, Nico Terol, Gabor Talmacsi or Daniel Holgado, who did not want to miss the tribute to Aspar. After it, Nico Abad moderated a talk on the stage of the paddock which featured the participation of Jaime Alguersuari, Óscar Haro, Carlos Tatay and Albert Llovera. And, being in Valencia, the atmosphere of the event was clearly biker, hence the huge number of people listening to the talk.
In the pits, the motorcycles They numbered in the hundreds, with a good number of top-level pieces. Spectators were able to enjoy their evolutions on the track, sometimes wearing period jumpsuits and helmets. In addition, the event was used for the pilot Alex Barros will leave his mark on the Walk of Fame from the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. The Brazilian won in Cheste in 2002 in MotoGP, and joins his name to riders like Regis Laconi and Sete Gibernau.
A PADDOCK TO FULL
The influx of fans - and clubs - was enormous, as we have already mentioned, many of whom traveled with their motorcycles, but also with their classic cars. In this way, the paddock The main event at Racing Legends 2024 became an exhibition in itself. There you could enjoy popular classics like SEAT 600 u 850, Mini, Renault 5 to models like Ferrari, Maserati and even Rolls-Royce. Furthermore, in the parking lot behind the grandstand at the end of the stretch, classics and more classics continued to arrive.
also met a juicy collection of classic trucks, with several modern pieces, but together they added a touch of color to the event. Among the national production, various Pegasos, Barreiros and Dodge They took us to other times of national transportation that will not return. We don't know if they are better or worse, different in any case.
In short, silently, the Racing Legends of Valencia has become one of the most interesting events at the national level. The car sales stalls, the food trucks and the soundtrack turned the circuit into a true motor festival. And not only for bikers, well, as we have already said, the repertoire of classic cars in the paddock was worth taking into account.
Photos Siu Wu/SEAT Historics and IVM.
