Goodwood Festival of Speed

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Goodwood Festival of Speed

Main footbridge at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Location	West Sussex, England
Time zone	GMT
Owner	Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara
Major Events	Goodwood Festival of Speed
Hillclimb
Circuit Length	1.86 km (1.16 mi)
Turns	9
Lap Record	0:41.6 (Nick Heidfeld, McLaren, 1999)
Forest Rally Stage
Circuit Length	2.5 km (1.5 mi)

	Modern F1 car echoing in the grounds of Goodwood House. 1934 Mercedes-Benz W25 starting the hillclimb. A Spyker C8 Aileron pulling away from the start of the hillclimb in 2009.
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The Goodwood Festival of Speed, commonly abbreviated as FoS and referred within the United Kingdom as the Festival of Speed, is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England. It was started in 1993 by the present Earl of March in order to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood estate - a location steeped in British motor racing history. Shortly after taking over the estate in the early nineties, Lord March (as he is formally known) wanted to bring back motor racing to Goodwood Circuit, but did not have the necessary permit to host a race there. Therefore he instead hosted it on his own grounds. With a small selection of entrants made up of invited historic vehicles, the first event that took place on Sunday 13 June proved to be a success, taking in a crowd of 30,000 despite a date clash with the 24 Hours of Le Mans that year. For the following year, the event expanded to two days, and in 1996 added one extra day on Friday. After its date clash for the first event, Lord March would ensure that the event would never be allowed to clash with either Le Mans or Formula One races.

Since the early days of several tens of thousands of visitors over the weekend it has grown to attracting daily crowds of around 100,000 visitors over the three days it is held. The record was in 2003, when a crowd of 158,000 attended before the advanced ticket policy came in to force, but in 2005 attendance has crept back to 150,000.

Typically held in late June or early July, the event is always scheduled to fit into the motor racing calendar and primarily to avoid a date clash with the Formula One season, enabling not just fans but many teams involved in current motor racing championships to attend. Visitors can expect to see cars and motorbikes from over 100 years of worldwide motor racing history climb the hill, including the several of the latest Formula One machines. Aside from the machines, the event attracts a host of names from the past and present of motor racing, offering a rare chance to see world famous names driving a wide range of machines.

Between 2000 and 2004, one of the unique features of the event was the Soapbox Challenge, a downhill race for gravity powered cars. However, as accidents became frequent, costs of cars became higher and safety rules became tighter, it did not return in 2005. The specially built forest stage for rally cars was introduced that year. The other unique feature from 1997 until present is the spectacular Gerry Judah sculpture in front of the house incorporating rare racecars.

One of the other most popular attractions is the Supercar Run for road-going supercars, which has been running since 2000. It is now common for speciality car manufacturers to show off their latest sports model, including newly released mass-produced sports models (e.g. the Nissan 350Z) and working concept models. The other popular attractions at the event are the real life replicas of the Wacky Races cars, which serves to provide lunchtime entertainment for the crowds, and the airshows, which usually include the RAF Tornado and Red Arrows, and a low flying Boeing 747. The latter was replaced by a low flying Airbus A380 at the 2008 event.

For a change of pace, also held is the Cartier Style et Luxe, an auto show which takes place close to the track, similar to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Entry is usually by invitation, and this provides some leeway as to which type of vehicle can enter, usually resulting in a more varied event than usual Concours d'Elegance. Unlike most concours shows, the Cartier Style et Luxe is judged by a panel of selected judges consisting of celebrities from all around the world to car designers. Since its beginning, the poster art has been illustrated by renowned motor racing artist Peter Hearsey.

1970 Porsche 917 going up the hill at the 2006 Festival of Speed

This however is not the limit as to what makes The Festival of Speed unique as a motor sport event. Thanks to the event's classification as a hill climb, its stunning location and desire to reflect the style and history of motor sport, visitors are afforded unparalleled views of the action - separated only by a few metres and reinforced straw bales from the track. In addition, visitors are free to walk around several paddocks where the cars and drivers can be viewed at close quarters. The atmosphere of the Festival of Speed, when compared to the separation of fans from drivers and machines common to most top end motor sport events, encourages participation by the fans.

Sébastien Buemi demonstrating a RB1 at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The record time for the hillclimb was set in 1999 when Nick Heidfeld drove a McLaren MP4/13 Formula One car up the hill in 41.6 seconds (100.385 mph). For safety reasons Formula One cars are no longer allowed to do official timed runs, and will often focus on demonstrations that are spectacular rather than fast. In 2006 Heikki Kovalainen completed the course in a Renault R25 F1 car and was unofficially timed below 40 seconds.^[1]

The Festival of Speed has a sister event, the Goodwood Revival Meeting. This event, normally held in early September, relives the glory days of the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit and is viewed by many enthusiasts as the perfect complement to the Festival of Speed.^[who?]

Incidents

There have been few incidents at the festival where cars have been severely damaged or serious injuries incurred. To date, the event has suffered just two separate fatal accidents.

The first was during its inaugural meeting in 1993, when vintage racing motorcyclist Chas Guy, was killed following the completion of the course when his Vincent motorcycle developed a steering wobble known as a tank slapper, throwing the rider into a tree. Since then, motorcycles are not timed for their run.

In 2000, tragedy again occurred when driver John Dawson-Damer suffered a cardiac arrest before the finish line, causing him to lose control of his Lotus 63 and crash into the finish line gantry, killing himself and marshal Andrew Carpenter. Another marshal, Steve Tarrant, survived but sustained serious injuries to the lower part of his right leg.^[2] Since his recovery, despite his disability, he continues to marshal to this day. The gantry has since been made wider.

Car manufacturers honoured with a temporary monument

All of these listed are the designs of Gerry Judah

Year	Photo	Manufacturer	Featured vehicles (on the main display)	Comment	Source
1997		Ferrari	Ferrari F310B	50th anniversary	[3]
1998		Porsche	Porsche 917-20 Porsche 936/81	50th anniversary	[3][4]
1999		Audi	Audi Avus quattro Auto Union Streamliner	Depicts the banking of Avus as if the car are racing together. The Streamliner is a replica built especially for the display	[3][4][5]
2000		Jaguar Cars	Jaguar XJR-8	Depicts the cat's cradle. Celebrating its F1 debut	[3][4]
2001		Mercedes-Benz	Mercedes-Benz 300SL	100th anniversary, resembling a gush of liquid, falling and spreading as it hits the ground.	[3][6]
2002		Renault	Renault RS01 Renault RE40 Renault RE60 Williams FW14 Benetton B195 Williams FW18 Renault R202	Honouring its comeback in F1 racing. Depicting a feather	[7]
2003		Ford Motor Company	Ford GT40 Mk. II	100th anniversary, Depicting the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race and its infamous finish. As the actual cars were on track, those displayed are replicas.	[8]
2004		Rolls-Royce	Supermarine S.6 Campbell-Railton Blue Bird Bluebird K4 replica	100th anniversary, indicating the brand's supremacy in record breaking on land, sea and air	[9]
2005		Honda	Honda RA272 Honda RA300 Lotus 99T Williams FW11 McLaren MP4/4 BAR 006	Of them all displayed, three of these including two Hondas, as the genuine cars ran, are replicas.	[10]
2006		Renault	Renault Type AK 90CV Renault R26	100th anniversary of Grand Prix racing. Used as a shelter for its Formula One cars that is designed to channel sound. Using a laptop, the cars can produce music out of its engine. Two tunes were performed, one of those played is God Save the Queen	[11]
2007		Toyota	Toyota TS010 Toyota Celica GT-Four Toyota GT-One Lola B2/00 Toyota TF107	Inspired by the traditional torii gates. Celebrating its 75th anniversary and 50 years involvement in motor sport.	[12][13]
2008		Land Rover	Land Rover Defender Land Rover Discovery Land Rover Freelander Range Rover	60th anniversary. Indicating the brand’s "any terrain" essence.	[14]
2009		Audi	Audi R8 Auto Union Streamliner	100th anniversary	[15],[15]

Notable car and driver appearances

• 1993 to 2009 — Stirling Moss (until 1996, Denis Jenkinson) — Mercedes-Benz 300SLR (#722)
• 1993 & 2003 — Honda Dream (1993 World Solar Challenge winner, did not run in 2003 due to broken axle)
• 1997 — MINI (pre production)
• 1997 — Jim Hall — Chaparral 2F & 2J
• 1999 — Mario Andretti
• 1999 — Michele Alboreto
• 2000 — Emerson Fittipaldi - JPS Lotus 72
• 2000 — Smokey Yunick
• 2000 & 2004 — Bobby Allison
• 2000 — TVR Cerbera Speed 12
• 2001 & 2003 — Bob Riggle — Hemi Under Glass (1966 Plymouth Barracuda)
• 2001 — Dick Landy — Dodge Challenger
• 2001 — Darrell Waltrip — 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
• 2002, 2003 & 2007 — 1970 Toyota 7
• 2002 — Cadillac Cien
• 2002 * 2007 — Rod Millen - Toyota Celica (1994 Pikes Peak record holder)
• 2002, 2003 - Graeme Wight Jr. - Gould GR51
• 2003 — Dan Gurney — Alligator
• 2003 — Jim Hall - Chaparral 2E & 2J
• 2003 — David Pearson — Ford Torino
• 2003 — Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (pre production)
• 2003 — Rod Millen - Toyota Tacoma (1998-2000 Pikes Peak winner)
• 2003 — Shelby-American Toyota 2000GT - SCCA CP car
• 2005 — Kazunori Yamauchi - Jaguar D-Type
• 2005 — Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman — BMW R1150GS Adventure
• 2005 & 2007 — Ukyo Katayama — 1999 Toyota GT-One (Le Mans runner up and 2007 poster car)
• 2005 & 2007 — Ukyo Katayama - Castrol TOM'S Toyota Supra (1997 JGTC title winner)
• 2005 & 2006 — Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (production version)
• 2005 — Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Al Maktoum — A1 Grand Prix racer
• 2005 — Peter Brock - MHDT Holden Commodore VK (1984 Bathurst 1000 winning car)
• 2006 — Charley Boorman — BMW F650RR
• 2006 — Richard Petty — 1974 STP Dodge Charger
• 2006 — Bugatti Veyron
• 2006 — Dennis Aase — 1986 Toyota Celica (1986 IMSA GTO winner)
• 2006 — Hurley Haywood — 1988 Audi 5000 (1988 Trans Am winner)
• 2006 — Greg & Leo Mansell — Formula BMW racers
• 2006 — Nigel Mansell — Grand Prix Masters racer
• 2007 — Nobuhiro Tajima - Suzuki Escudo (Pikes Peak racer)
• 2007 — Lewis Hamilton - Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-21
• 2008 - Lewis Hamilton - Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-22
• 2009 - Stig Blomqvist, Troy Corser, Taylor Earnhardt, Timo Glock, Lewis Hamilton, Eddie Irvine, Yukio Kagayama, Guy Martin, Bruno Senna, Jackie Stewart, Jenson Button, Mark Webber, David Coulthard

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Goodwood Festival of Speed

• Goodwood Festival Of Speed website
• Times Online Guide to the Goodwood Festival of Speed
• Information guide to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with TwilightBlue.eu
• Independently run website photographically chronicling the Festival Of Speed from 2003 to present

www.judah.co.uk Gerry Judah Website

Coordinates: 50°52′5″N 0°44′5″W / 50.86806°N 0.73472°W / 50.86806; -0.73472