Historic Formula 1 racing is in very good health: thats the message from Masters Historic Racing with a 23-car grid assembled for its next races at Spa-Francorchamps.

Despite smaller than hoped entries in GP Masters at the last two events this season, the Spa grid highlights the desire from competitors to race at high-profile meetings and iconic circuits. From the 23-car entry, 14 different constructors will be represented: Ligier, Tyrrell, Lotus, Williams, Surtees, Ensign, March, Fittipaldi, Trojan, Hesketh, McLaren, Arrows and Penske.

Drivers from nine nationalities will hit the track for the GP Masters double-header, with American Charles Nearburg the furthest travelled.

Masters Historic Racings Event Manager Rachel Bailey said: We are very pleased with the size of this entry and it underlines that there is still a desire from owners to race this era of Formula 1 car. Many of the GP Masters drivers will be racing other cars at Spa as well, so it makes their trip better value to be in multiple races, plus Spa is a circuit at which people want to race, and it is a well-established date and event that drivers remember.

There are lots of reasons why some events work better than others, but Spa is well-promoted, offers drivers a chance to be in more than one race, it is on a regular date which sticks in peoples minds and it is well-established. Historic Formula 1 racing is far from dead: as long as competitors are given the right events for sensible money, the future is bright.

The Spa-Francorchamps GP Masters races run as part of the Spa Six Hours weekend over September 21-23.