The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway in West Sussex, and this year fans can expect a weekend of automotive frenzy at this historic motorsport event. Held in the lush parkland of the Goodwood House, the Festival of Speed is motorsport’s ultimate summer garden party and a celebration of one of the world’s most thrilling sports.
F1 cars, rally cars, grand prix motorcycles, and sports cars will tackle the legendary Goodwood hill climb. This year’s theme for the Festival of Speed is ‘Horseless to Hybrid’, marking the evolution of the automobile industry towards electrification.
History of the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Held in Goodwood House in West Sussex, the Festival of Speed was founded in 1993 by Lord March (who later became the Duke of Richmond) to bring back motor racing to the Goodwood Estate, a location steeped in racing history.
The event is classified as a Hill Climb, where various car types participate to set the fastest time on the 1.89 km track. The track though small is also quite narrow and climbs 304 ft. With a 9-turn layout, mastering the track requires precision driving at high speeds, and every year multiple attempts are made to break the record. The current record was set in 2022 by Max Chilton in a McMurtry Speirling at 39.081 seconds. Before, the record was held for 20 years by Nick Heidfield who completed the climb in 41.6 seconds in 1999 in the McLaren MP4/13, which was the then reigning F1 World Constructors Champion car.
Other F1 cars did run in later years but they were vintage models hence were not able to break the record. For safety reasons, F1 cars were not allowed to use tyre warmers or do official timed runs, but only perform demonstrations.
In 2019 the record was broken by Romain Dumas in an electric Volkswagen ID.R prototype, completing the run in 39.9 seconds.
What to Expect from the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed
This year's event is expected to showcase some of the top car manufacturer's finest creations alongside a weekend of motorsport excellence. Apart from a lineup of cars from Ferrari, McLaren and Pagani, we expect to see many special and rare cars show up at this historic show. Pagani is said to bring the Huayra Epitome, a Huayra with a manual gearbox and an F50-style wing alongside the successor to the Huayra the Utopia. Zenvo will bring their brand-new Aurora models, which boast a quad-turbo V12 hybrid powertrain making 1200+ horsepower and will be making their European debut at the event. BMW and Porsche will also be bringing a line of their new models. Visitors are in for a remarkable display of highlights.
Red Bull’s Hypercar
Arguably one of the highlights of the event this year is the world debut of the Red Bull hypercar codenamed the RB17. Reports suggest that the car will be powered by a screaming 1000 horsepower V10, that can rev up to 15,000 rpm. The car will be a hybrid paired with a 200 horsepower electric motor bringing the total output to a neck-breaking 1200 horsepower. Considering the on-track dominance Red Bull has shown in F1 in the last few years, and inputs from the legendary aerodynamicist Adrian Newey this $5 million car is expected to be a track weapon.
Aston Martin Valiant
Aston Martin is going to show up with an incredible line-up of their latest cars which includes the Valkyrie, Valour, Valiant, Victor and the new Vantage. The Valiant will be making its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and two-time Formula 1 Champion Fernando Alonso will be pushing the car to its limit at the Goodwood Hill Climb. The Valiant is the most extreme front-engine car that Aston Martin has ever built. It is one of the only cars on sale to have a front mid-mounted V12 with a manual gearbox. The car draws inspiration from the racecars of the 70’s, modernised with the latest technologies and materials from motorsports today.
Ford Mustang GTD
If you’re thinking why there is such hype behind a Mustang is because GM’s latest creation is practically a GT3 car with number plates. With aggressive aero, carbon-fibre body panels, magnesium wheels, and a supercharged V8 producing 800 horsepower, the new Mustang GTD is the quickest Mustang ever built. It recently set a sub-7-minute lap time at the Nurburgring, Germany and it will be interesting to see how it performs at the hill climb.
Schedule for the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Thursday 11th July
The Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks off on Thursday morning with the Duke of Richmond's traditional opening moment on the Hill at 09:00. Shortly after, at 09:40, the first cars hit the Start line to celebrate this year’s theme: "Horseless to Hybrid – Revolutions in Power," featuring vehicles from 1890 to 1960.
At 10:30, the First Glance cars presented by Heycar make their debut, followed by the supercar batch at 11:10. The Red Arrows will make their entrance at 11:45. Celebrations begin at 12:55, highlighting Joest Racing, Niki Lauda, and Mercedes-Benz, alongside the Drift class legends.
At 14:00, attention shifts to the MG monument in front of Goodwood House, and then at 14:20, the first F1 action of the weekend starts, featuring Isle of Man TT riders. The day’s Hill action wraps up at 17:20 with cars from 1970-2024.
Friday 12th July
On Friday, the Hill action starts early at 08:30 with both halves of the theme batch, followed by the F1 engines roaring at 10:05. First Glance and road bikes head out at 10:55, and the celebrations continue at 11:35. The Red Arrows perform their final display at 11:45, leading into the supercar run at 12:25.
The first Timed Shootout practice runs begin at 14:45. The Richard Petty Balcony Moment draws a crowd beneath the Central Feature. Hill action resumes at 15:30 with more theme celebrations, First Glance, and supercars, ending the day with Drift cars and celebrations of Joest Racing, Niki Lauda, and Mercedes-Benz.
Saturday 13th July
Saturday starts at 08:30 with the celebration batch on the Hill. First Glance cars run at 10:05, followed by the supercar run at 10:45, and the day’s first F1 action at 11:40 with Isle of Man TT and dirt bikes. The balcony moment at 12:20 honours Michael Dunlop’s achievements.
Qualifying for the Timed Shootout begins at 14:50, followed by a tribute to Gil de Ferran in the Ballroom Assembly Area. The day concludes with final runs for First Glance, supercars, and the main theme, celebrating cars from 1890-1960.
Sunday 14th July
Sunday sees the main theme cars from 1970-2024 opening the Hill at 08:30. The highlight of the weekend features seven Red Bull F1 cars at 11:40, followed by a star-studded balcony moment with Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, and others at 11:55. Afternoon action continues until the Timed Shootout climax at 15:00. The event wraps up with final showcases of Drift, Joest Racing, Niki Lauda, and Mercedes-Benz, alongside First Glance, supercars, and theme cars from 1890-1960.
Cartier Style et Luxe
The Cartier Style et Luxe has been a part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed since 1995 and is a static display of some of the most beautiful cars ever made. Considered one of the most spectacular Concours d’elegance in the world, a selection of expert judges that hail not just from the automotive industry but also from music, art and academics choose a winner. It is a good contrast from the noise and excitement of the Hillclimb and a chance to marvel at some stunning examples of automotive history.
Forest Rally Stage
Throughout the festival, the Forest Rally Stage will host rallying brilliance. On Thursday, rallying starts at 11:30 with demo runs at 13:00 and 13:30-15:30, followed by a shootout session at 15:30-16:00 and more demo runs from 16:00-17:30. The rally stage follows a similar schedule for the next three days, starting at 09:00.
Final Take
This year's Goodwood Festival of Speed is all set to be a grand celebration for the love of motorsports and cars. With a fantastic lineup, an action-packed calendar and the roar of engines, the event promises a spectacular weekend of automotive excellence.
