The Goodwood : Festival of Speed

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the appitamy of motorsport events held at the Goodwood Estate outside of Chichester, in the south England. It is the annual must see, must attend event of the motor-sporting calendar. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type. The E-Type became one the most iconic and important 1960′s British automobiles, and Jaguar is celebrating this fact at this years Goodwood Festival.

However, this year’s Goodwood is not all about Jaguar. Virtually all motorsports are represented by current and legendary teams and drivers, from Sir Sterling Moss and Nigel Mansell to former World Champion’s Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton. And it isn’t just about Formula 1, other motorsports at Goodwood include, World Rally (WRC), IndyCar, LeMans, and World SuperBikes.

The amazing thing about Goodwood is that there is far more than just the motorsport aspect to soak in. The biggest attraction is the Hill Run. This is a 1.14mile parade run through the grounds of the estate, featuring the most amazing cars from past, present, and future concepts. From antique Bentley Racers and AutoUnion of the 1920′s, to the concepts of tomorrow from Audi and BMW, the greatest automobiles are here for people to marvel at in action.
Other events featured are, the amazing 23.9-litre Napier Railton of Jay Leno, Chris Evens’ of seven priceless Ferrari’s, and the Moving Motorshow. The Moving Motorshow is a dedicated manufacturer’s preview day where some of the most amazing production cars of today are on show.
What festival would be complete without a flyover from the Red Arrows (the British Blue Angels) to bring the festival to a close.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a must see for the astute petrolhead. If you were unfortunate enough to not have made it this year, I urge you to make plans for a great weekend of oil, rubber, and the British Sunshine next year.

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Gerry Judah
Official Goodwood Website