The TABAC Classic GP Assen 2026 transformed the TT Circuit Assen into a spectacular celebration of motorsport history, bringing legendary racing cars, Grand Prix motorcycles and some of the sport’s most recognisable names back to the “Cathedral of Speed.”

Held from 28–30 August, the event combined historic racing with demonstrations and displays, giving fans the chance to see machinery from several generations back on track.

Weather Adds Another Dimension to the weekends racing.

The unpredictable Dutch weather played a major role throughout the TABAC Classic GP weekend, with periods of sunshine giving way to heavy rain and creating difficult conditions for drivers and riders. The Interserie formula races were particularly affected, with heavy downpours making the powerful single-seaters even more challenging to handle around the TT Circuit Assen.

For the drivers, grip levels could change dramatically within minutes, forcing teams to react quickly to changing conditions and making tyre choice and timing increasingly important.

It added another layer of excitement for the spectators. One moment the circuit was bathed in sunshine; the next, rain was falling heavily as the historic machinery continued to battle around the Cathedral of Speed.

The changeable conditions perfectly captured the character of a classic Dutch race weekend — unpredictable, challenging and never short of drama.

Interserie F1

The thunder of V8 and V10 engines echoed around the TT Circuit Assen as the TABAC Classic GP 2026 delivered a spectacular celebration of Interserie racing and high-powered single-seaters.

While historic motorcycles and classic racing cars filled the paddock throughout the weekend, it was the Interserie F1 field that provided one of the most dramatic sights and sounds of the event.

The powerful single-seaters brought a taste of Formula 1’s golden era to the Dutch circuit, with drivers pushing legendary machinery around the fast and flowing Assen layout.

The Interserie grid showcased the evolution of single-seater technology, from older Formula 1-inspired machinery to spectacular V8 and V10-powered cars. The combination of immense engine noise, lightweight chassis and slick tyres made the category a natural crowd favourite.

Interserie-F1 — Race 2

Ulrich won Race 2 over Euser by just 0.766 seconds, while Jordan completed the overall podium. Harmuth set the fastest lap of the race, 1:26.652, in the Toro Rosso STR8.

The Sound of the Interserie

There was no mistaking when the Interserie cars headed onto the circuit.

Their arrival could be heard across the Assen complex, with the high-revving engines producing a soundtrack that stood in stark contrast to the historic Grand Prix motorcycles sharing the weekend.

For many spectators, the sight of these cars attacking Assen’s fast corners provided a rare opportunity to experience the performance of machinery from a different era of racing.

The TABAC Classic GP is ultimately about bringing history back to life, and the Interserie cars did exactly that.

Jann Mardenborough Brings a Modern Racing Story to TABAC Classic GP Assen

The TABAC Classic GP 2026 was all about celebrating motorsport’s past, but Jann Mardenborough provided a fascinating link between racing history and the modern era at TT Circuit Assen. Jann brought the iconic Shadow DN8 Formula 1 car to life around TT Assen, giving fans the opportunity to see one of the sport’s most distinctive 1970s machines back on track.

The DN8 famously carried Alan Jones to victory at the 1977 Austrian Grand Prix, making its appearance in Mardenborough’s hands a particularly special moment for the TABAC Classic GP crowd.

Best known for his remarkable journey from sim racing to professional motorsport, Mardenborough has become one of the most recognisable drivers to emerge from the virtual racing world. His appearance added a contemporary name to an event otherwise dominated by legendary machinery and historic racers.

At the “Cathedral of Speed”, Mardenborough was able to experience the unique atmosphere created by the TABAC Classic GP, where historic Formula cars, classic sports cars and Grand Prix motorcycles shared the circuit across three days.

His presence was a fitting reminder that, while the technology and machinery of racing continue to evolve, the fascination with speed and competition remains unchanged.

From the legends of yesterday to the stars of today, Mardenborough’s appearance added another chapter to a memorable TABAC Classic GP weekend at Assen.

A Different Kind of Classic

The Interserie field also highlighted how much single-seater racing has evolved. These cars were designed for speed, with powerful engines and minimal aerodynamic compromise, making them particularly spectacular around a circuit as fast as Assen.

Watching them circulate alongside historic Formula cars, touring cars and the legendary motorcycles created a unique motorsport atmosphere.

It was a weekend where the past wasn’t simply remembered — it was running at full speed.

Cor Euser and Martin Donnelly Bring Formula Racing History to Assen

Two familiar names from international motorsport added extra star quality to the TABAC Classic GP 2026, with Dutch racing favourite Cor Euser and former Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly taking to the TT Circuit Assen.

Dutch racing veteran Cor Euser was one of the standout names in the Interserie field at the 2026 TABAC Classic GP, taking to the TT Circuit Assen in the spectacular Panoz DP09 IndyCar.

Euser, one of the Netherlands’ most experienced endurance and sports-car racers, brought his trademark determination to the Interserie field, giving the home crowd another reason to get behind the historic machinery.

Joining him was Martin Donnelly, the former Lotus Formula 1 driver whose career included competing at the highest level of single-seater racing. Donnelly’s presence added an important link between the historic cars at Assen and the modern Grand Prix era. Martin drove a 1993 Footwork F1 car in the Masters Historic demonstration during the weekend.

Seeing both drivers back behind the wheel highlighted exactly what makes the TABAC Classic GP so special — legendary names, extraordinary machinery and racing history brought back to life on track.

A Weekend for Motorsport Fans

Fans could wander through the paddock, see the cars and motorcycles at close quarters and meet many of the riders and drivers responsible for bringing the machinery back to life.

With the sound of two-stroke Grand Prix bikes, roaring four-cylinder and V8 engines, and iconic machinery circulating the TT Circuit, Assen offered a vivid reminder of how dramatically motorsport has evolved.

For three days, the past was very much alive at the Cathedral of Speed.

Until Next Year

The TABAC Classic GP once again demonstrated why historic motorsport continues to attract such a passionate following.

It was a weekend of legendary names, iconic machinery, unpredictable weather and an atmosphere only Assen can provide.

As the teams packed away their cars and the final fans left the circuit, there was only one thought looking ahead:

We can’t wait to hear those engines roar again.

The RacerViews info

By Tom Lloyd.

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