The Grand Prix of Malta will come to an end this weekend with the main race for the classic cars which have made their way to Malta for this eventful week.

Today there will be free practice from 2pm to 4pm, while qualifying heats are scheduled for tomorrow morning between 10 and noon. The main race is to start from near the Triton Fountain, just outside Valletta, at 2pm.

Local enthusiasts who are expected to throng the Valletta ring road to watch the event, are requested to cooperate with the authorities concerned in an effort to make this event successful and memorable.

Two-seater racers and prestigious cars built between 1910 and 1975 as well as single seater cars built between 1930 and 1965 will be taking part.

The fans will be able to watch famous brands such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Maserati.

Participating in the rally will be the ex Minister of Education in France, M. Luc Ferry who has in the past participated in the Grand Prix De Tunis.

The cars came over to Malta earlier this week. Some of them were reported to have reached Genoa to board the shop one day before, while others just made it. There wes one reported to have missed the boat and had to travel down to Reggio in his car before boarding a ship to Sicily and then another to Malta.

The race is being held under the auspices of the Minister for Tourism, Francis Zammit Dimech, the Minister for Urban Development and Roads, Jesmond Mugliett, and the mayors of Valletta and Floriana, Paul Borg Olivier and Nigel Holland. It is being held with the full cooperation of the Maltese Embassy in France from where the idea originated.

Also, the organizers are getting the full cooperation of the newly formed Malta Motorsport Federation in running this event.

It is reserved for classic cars and although one may think this is just an exhibition, however, it is known that the racers will actually be racing and will be eager to register a win, more so as this happens to be the first event to be held in Malta.

During the past week, the cars have been on shown at Valletta, and have visited several places, among them Gozo, Vittoriosa, Marsaxlokk, Sliema, St Julian’s and Mdina.

On Wednesday 24 October, there will be a rally with a stop at Vittoriosa at about 10am arriving at Marsaxlokk at about noon.

Yesterday a Concours d’Elegance was held at Mdina.