The Royal Automobile Club will award the historic Tourist Trophy to the winners of the 2027 6 Hours of Silverstone, adding further significance to the FIA World Endurance Championship’s return to Britain.
Silverstone will rejoin the FIA WEC calendar after last hosting the championship in 2019. The Northamptonshire circuit previously staged a round every year from 2012 to 2019 and will now welcome the series back during a period of record crowds, expanding audiences and exceptional manufacturer involvement.
The Tourist Trophy will connect that modern era of endurance racing with more than 120 years of motorsport history.
FIA WEC welcomes prestigious Silverstone prize
FIA WEC currently features 14 manufacturers across its Hypercar and LMGT3 categories. Meanwhile, Ford and McLaren plan to expand the top-class field when they join Hypercar competition in 2027.
That level of participation has created intense competition between several of the world’s leading automotive brands. As a result, the championship considers Silverstone an appropriate setting for one of motor racing’s most prestigious awards.
FIA World Endurance Championship CEO Frédéric Lequien welcomed the Royal Automobile Club’s decision to present the trophy at the event.
“We are thrilled that the winners of next season’s 6 Hours of Silverstone will be presented with the Tourist Trophy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Royal Automobile Club for its generosity in offering such a prestigious prize, which has previously been awarded to some of the sport’s most elite performers. The qualities traditionally required to win the Tourist Trophy are the very same as those required to excel at the highest levels of endurance racing, so we have no doubt that whoever receives this coveted accolade on the podium at Silverstone next spring will be thoroughly deserving of it.”
The six-hour contest will demand the reliability, strategy, teamwork and engineering excellence that have traditionally defined the Tourist Trophy. Therefore, the winning crew will earn both an important championship victory and a place on one of motorsport’s most distinguished rolls of honour.
Tourist Trophy carries more than 120 years of history
The Royal Automobile Club inaugurated the Tourist Trophy in 1905. From the outset, the competition promoted reliability, efficiency and engineering innovation alongside outright performance.
The Isle of Man hosted the inaugural race before the event moved from public-road courses to permanent circuits such as Goodwood and Silverstone. Over time, the trophy became closely associated with international touring car, sportscar and endurance competition.
The award itself also reflects its historic status. Its design pays tribute to Giambologna’s Italian Renaissance sculpture of Hermes, the Greek messenger god, while 18-carat gold embellishes the trophy.
Royal Automobile Club Chairman Duncan Wiltshire highlighted the values that have underpinned the competition throughout its history.
“The Tourist Trophy occupies a unique place in the history of international motor racing. Ever since 1905, it has recognised not only victory, but the engineering excellence, teamwork and endurance that define the very best of the sport. We are delighted that the Trophy will be awarded at Silverstone as the FIA World Endurance Championship makes a very welcome return to the United Kingdom. With the championship enjoying unprecedented global growth and attracting the world’s leading manufacturers, there could be no more fitting stage on which to continue the Tourist Trophy’s remarkable legacy.”
Some of motorsport’s greatest drivers have won the award. Sir Stirling Moss leads the all-time list with seven victories, while Rudolf Caracciola, Tazio Nuvolari, Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill and Denny Hulme also feature among its celebrated recipients.
Endurance racing stars Derek Bell, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Mike Conway have also added their names to the trophy. Furthermore, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche feature among the successful manufacturers.
Silverstone renews its long-standing Tourist Trophy connection
Silverstone first established its association with the Tourist Trophy during the early 1970s. Since then, the circuit has hosted the contest more often than any other venue.
The circuit also staged seven of the eight previous FIA WEC races held in the United Kingdom. Consequently, the trophy’s return will strengthen Silverstone’s established links with both international endurance racing and the Royal Automobile Club.
Silverstone Chief Executive Stuart Pringle believes the opportunity to win the award will provide teams and drivers with additional motivation.
“Silverstone has played a significant role in the history of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, and we are delighted to welcome both this iconic trophy and the FIA World Endurance Championship back to the circuit in 2027. Endurance racing is enjoying a remarkable resurgence, with the world’s leading manufacturers, drivers and teams competing at the highest level. The opportunity to add a name to the Tourist Trophy’s extraordinary roll of honour will give competitors even greater incentive when they race at Silverstone next April. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the UK and around the world for what promises to be a truly special event.”
The Tourist Trophy will now link Silverstone’s endurance racing heritage with the championship’s expanding manufacturer era. Moreover, it will offer the 2027 winners an opportunity to join a list that spans generations of drivers, teams and automotive marques.
As FIA WEC prepares to return to the Home of British Motorsport, the trophy will provide a tangible connection between endurance racing’s pioneering origins and its increasingly competitive future.
