• The Goodwood Festival of Speed (FOS) was founded in 1993 by the Duke of Richmond to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood estate.
• The automotive extravaganza of the year in the UK is renowned for its incredible atmosphere as much as it is the machinery.
• Although the Festival of Speed spans four days, it’s entirely possible to take a lot of it in if you only have a handful of hours to spare.

Those of you of a nervous disposition need not read further; Festival Of Speed (FoS) might not be for you. It is quite simply the most hectic automotive event on the calendar, for reasons I’ll be getting into shortly. If, however, you decide to swallow the brave pill and venture over to Goodwood Manor you’ll be in for a serious treat.

Trust me, it’s worth it. Take my advice over the next few hundred words and it might help you to make your visit to this festival of automotive excellence that little bit more enjoyable.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

Be warned, FoS is an assault on the senses. From the moment you pull up in the morning to the time you leave at night, you should be mentally prepared to face hordes of enthusiasts looking for an automotive fix. Prepare early, book in advance, and make sure you’ve got parking organized.

England is known for its idyllic green hilly pastures, and they are indeed beautiful. When you have to walk across two of them to get to an entry gate, however, they become slightly more irritating. Arrive as early as possible to park as close to the event as you can because as often as it rains here, the car park often resembles a Louisiana swamp.

Once you’ve made it inside though, you can take a breath. Grab an artisanal coffee and a bacon sandwich to build up your energy reserves: your step count is going to be off the charts.

FORTY SECONDS OR LESS

The hillclimb might give you some idea of the scale of FoS. Arguably the most iconic hill climb in the world (cry your heart out, Pikes Peak), you’ll see all sorts of weird and wonderful machinery making its way up the course. Some drivers opt for a relaxed demonstration cruise whilst others perform drifts and donuts for the crowds. The real spectacle, however, is the timed runs.

Since its inception in 1993, the hill climb competition has provided a chance for spectators to see anything from a new family sedan to a world-championship-winning Formula 1 car being sent up the hill at maximum attack. The record time up the 1.16 mile course for years was 41.6 seconds, set by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren MP4/13 F1 car.

The most recent record holder is the McMurtry Spéirling, which at the hands of Max Chilton managed to achieve a 39.081 second time in 2022. Why does this contribute to a sense of the show’s scale? Because whilst it may take a prototype racer less than a minute to cover the distance of the event, it will take you an entire day. Make sure you catch some of the action but don’t get sucked into the hill climb all day. There’s a lot more to see.

TIME TRAVEL ON WHEELS

Goodwood is renowned for its role in preserving the legacy of historic motorsports. Whether it’s the Members’ Meeting or Revival at the Motor Circuit or the Festival of Speed – Goodwood is the place to see the world’s finest being driven as intended.

The paddocks at the top of the hillclimb are home to some of the most stunning vehicles ever designed during the Festival of Speed, and I forget just how special some of these cars are. There were numerous Italian beauties, such as a pair of Ferrari 156 F1s and a Lancia-Ferrari D50. Having grown up as an avid racing gamer, my Project Gotham Racing memories came flooding back when I saw a Maserati 250F.

Not only were these paddocks home to vintage Italian racers but also some real oddities powered by all sorts of quirky solutions. A propeller-powered Leyat Helica, for example, was parked just a few cars up from a Salvesen Steam Wagonette. Why bother with fuel when you can literally shovel coal to power your steed, eh?

If you prefer your race cars with a reputation for reliability, there were plenty of exemplary German models on display. Countless Mercedes race cars dating back to pre-war examples were parked amongst an impressive display of Porsche, BMW, and Audis—as well as their Auto Union forebears.

Make sure to stop by the Cartier Style et Luxe concourse just past Goodwood Manor itself to check out some of the most beautiful cars ever designed in the 20th century. I’ve never seen so many pre-war Bugattis in one place; neither have I seen six Pagani Zondas parked together in one place.

Though the most remarkable feature at FoS is always the statue on display in front of the manor. 2024 marked 100 years of MG Motors, so this year’s statue embodied the link between their most famous car and the car they hope will promote them as a sporting brand once again: the MG B and the new Cyberster.

Cross the bridge to the other side of the hill climb course and you’ll be immersed in the manufacturer stands showing off their current crop of models, as well as unreleased specials and concept cars.

Part of what makes FoS so special is that, unlike a typical motor show, you really can get up close and personal with a lot of the prototypes and design studies usually locked away in a manufacturer’s studio or warehouse.

MORE THAN JUST CARS

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations. You’ve seen the bulk of what FoS has to offer, and hopefully, you’ve still got some time left in the day to get another couple thousand steps in.

It’s not just the glitz and glamour of the big OEMs and race cars that you can experience at Goodwood, oh no. The Festival has been supporting small businesses and the wider car community for years, be it to do with cars directly or not. The trade section of the show is full of smaller tents displaying their offerings, from smaller tuning shops with their latest electrified conversions to classic car clubs showing off their support network for members.

It’s the stalls in between those that can often give you a permanent memory of your time at FoS. With shops full of race memorabilia, car parts, signed merchandise, and artwork it’s easy to get lost in a session of retail therapy. If you manage to leave the tents with your bank account unscathed, take a break at one of the numerous food stands with cuisine from all over the world and plenty of cold (or hot) drinks to unwind with on a hot day. I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about sipping on a cold beer whilst listening to race cars at full throttle that makes me happy.

PLENTY OF POWERSPORTS

Not all car enthusiasts are motorcycle enthusiasts, but if ever there was an event for both two and four-wheel enthusiasts to appreciate one another’s interests…it’s FoS. Modern to retro Moto GP history from Japanese and Italian manufacturers are nestled amongst the race cars, as well as some of Britain’s finest in the form of real café racers and some of Britain’s finest performance brands such as Triumph and Royal Enfield. My powersport highlight? A row of Ducati Desmosedicis (and one Cagiva hiding at the end) looking pretty in their bright red war paint.

I hope by now I’ve been able to give you some understanding of what to expect at a Festival of Speed weekend, and how to best make sure you can experience it all without missing out.

To summarise, then:

1. Keep it moving, and don’t get stuck at any one part of the show.
2. Keep your batteries charged for photos, you’ll want to look back at your weekend.
3. Keep yourself hydrated and fed to stay energetic.
4. Most importantly, keep enthusiastic spenders away from the merchandise tents!

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