Car festival set to celebrate its 10th anniversary

World Rally Cross and E.ON Veloce Extreme E racing drivers Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor will be attending the festival

A festival of classic and modern performance cars is set to return to Coventry to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Motofest Coventry offers a "non-stop cultural celebration of the city’s motoring past, present and future", organisers said.

Free events are being held across the city centre on 1-2 June, with some activities based at the Transport Museum.

More than 200,000 people are expected to attend and visitors can experience racing simulators, go karting, and a giant Scalextric track.

There will be a full-size replica of the BloodHound Land Speed Record (LSR) car, alongside the simulator that will enable people to experience driving a Le Mans endurance racing car or the Thrust SSC land-speed car.

James Noble, festival director, said the event attracted people from around the country.

'Brilliant people of Coventry'

"We had no idea how MotoFest would land or whether it would be received well and whether it was what the city wanted," he said.

"MotoFest is what it is today because the brilliant, brilliant, brilliant population of Coventry has embraced it."

He said there was a lot of new technology for people to try, as well as looking back at the city's motoring heritage.

The Scalextric track will feature some of Coventry’s notable landmarks and along with DJs performing, visitors will be able to use a viewing platform to overlook track action, organisers said.

“For our 10-year anniversary, MotoFest Coventry is celebrating with its biggest ever entertainment programme, with a non-stop cultural celebration of the city’s motoring past, present and future," Mr Noble said.

Marguerite Nugent, cultural director of CV Life, which runs the museum, said: “Congratulations to MotoFest Coventry on 10 fantastic years and we are thrilled to be part of the event again this year."