Meet Racing Legend John Surtees this Father’s Day

June 11 2015 | What's on

Racing car and motorcycle enthusiasts alike will enjoy meeting British racing legend John Surtees this Father’s Day 21 June at Hever Castle.

An acclaimed former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver, John will be on the Castle forecourt talking about his stellar career and answering questions at 12 noon. This will be followed by a book and merchandise signing at 3:00pm.

Having lived and worked for many years in nearby Edenbridge, Hever Castle is a name and place that is very special to John. He said, “It gives me great pleasure to bring along a little of my past around which I have so many memories and which played parts in my career to the historic setting of Hever.”

John Surtees remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels. His book John Surtees: My Incredible Life on Two and Four Wheels was published last year and is a photographic memoir of his career. Copies of the book and other memorabilia will be available to buy from the merchandise stand during the day.

As part of the Father’s Day Super Cars event, four cars that played a part in John’s life will be displayed on the Castle forecourt, including:

• A 1957 BMW 507 3.2 litre V8
• A BMW 503 Cabriolet V8 3.2 litre
• The first Formula One car built by John’s company, Team Surtees, the TS7
• A TS10 Formula 2 car, designed and built again by the Surtees team in Edenbridge in 1972

John will also bring along three motorcycles that played a special part in his life, having begun his career on two-wheels and serving his engineering apprenticeship at Vincent HRD in Stevenage. These include:

• A 1949 HDR Vincent Black Shadow 998cc
• A 1949 500cc Vincent Grey Flash
• A BMW Rennsport

Rounding off the display, BMW is also sending one of their prized collectors’ cars: the Batmobile. Adding further interest to the event, the Vincent HRD Club will come along with their enthusiastic owners and members of the Historic BMW Car Owners Club are also expected.

And if that’s not enough you can enjoy trying your hand at karting in the simulator of Buckmore Park, based at Bluebell Hill in Maidstone, the kart circuit where Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button learnt their skills from an early age. A small donation (min £2.00) per session is payable and will go to the Henry Surtees Foundation, set up by John following his son’s death after a Formula Two race accident at Brands Hatch in 2009.

Other activities on offer include free craft workshops for kids to create a card for dad, and delicious lunch and afternoon teas in the elegant Guthrie Pavilion Restaurant situated in the Italian Garden overlooking the Lake (pre-booking required by 17 June).

Acclaimed automotive photographer, Stella Scordellis, will also be exhibiting limited edition photographs which will be available to order on the day.

Find out more about Hever Castle’s Father’s Day Super Cars event with John Surtees.