The Zoute Grand Prix held at the chic, affluent Belgian coastal resort of Knokke Le Zoute is one of the motoring world’s best kept secrets. The 9th Edition held on 4 – 7 October however drew an amazing crowd of nearly a quarter of a million spectators to the elegant seaside resort which is normally home to just 30,000 inhabitants.
And what was it that these Belgian, Dutch and French spectators had come to experience. Well certainly not a Grand Prix in the normal motoring sense, despite the fact that according to the informed, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone did try to put the mockers on the name when he first heard about it. This Grand Prix is an amazing amalgam combining a Rally for classic cars pre-1965; a GT Tour for modern super and hyper cars; a Flying Mile and a GT Sprint; an auction; a display of 15 ‘Top Marques’ including the latest releases from Mercedes-Benz et al; cocktail parties and gala dinners; and my prime rationale for being there, a Concours d’Elegance, for which I was a Jury member.
After much deliberation by the jury in the Bridge Room of the beautiful Royal Zoute Clubhouse and by the narrowest of possible-margins, it was decided that the winner of the Best of Show 2018 Zoute Concours d’Elegance was the 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera coupé.
