From sideways Volvos to Le Mans legends, electric hypercars to celebrity burnouts, this year’s Festival of Speed had it all. The European’s Mark G. Whitchurch reports from Goodwood, where the 75th anniversary of Formula 1 grabbed the headlines – but wasn’t the only story
The Goodwood Festival of Speed returned from 10–13 July with a programme that reinforced its status as one of the most important events in the international motoring calendar. Set within the grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, the festival once again brought together the best in historic and modern engineering across racing, road, and future technologies.
This year’s theme, ‘The Winning Formula – Champions and Challengers’, marked the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship. More than 100 F1 cars, from pre-war Grand Prix machines to today’s grid, were divided into six themed classes, ranging from early prologues through to the current teams.
While many fans were focused on the current F1 teams, including McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Williams, Alpine, HAAS, Red Bull, Sauber and Ferrari, I was keen to start at the beginning, exploring Grand Prix racing from before the Formula 1 World Championship was established in 1950.
I find the machinery of the 1930s particularly absorbing. The Silver Arrows from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union (Audi) were demonstrated with their W125 and Type D models respectively. Also present was the 1938 Alfa Romeo 158 ‘Alfetta’, a car with victories that bridged both sides of the Second World War and which took the win at the inaugural F1 race at Silverstone in 1950 with Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina. It remains one of the most striking and historically important F1 cars ever built.
What sets the Festival of Speed, affectionately known as FoS, apart is that these cars are not simply displayed but are driven, and heard doing what they were made to do. Period drivers queued up to be reunited with their racing cars of the past, keen to demonstrate their performance at near ten-tenths.
The atmosphere always delivers unique moments. One highlight this year was seeing multiple World Champion Alain Prost discussing the cockpit layout of a 1985 1.5-litre V6 turbocharged McLaren-TAG MP4/2B with current F1 rookie Oliver Bearman. “So you have three pedals and a gear lever?” joked Bearman.
Each year, a central sculpture is installed on the circular lawn in front of Goodwood House to celebrate a marque with a significant anniversary. This year’s focus was Gordon Murray, the designer responsible for the Brabham Alfa Romeo BT46 ‘Fan Car’ from 1978 and the McLaren F1 that won Le Mans in 1995. Both cars took to the hill at speed. The sculpture marked 60 years of Murray’s involvement in F1 and beyond, featuring a super-sized GMA logo with an early Brabham F1 car alongside the company’s latest three-seater G.50 hypercar.
Away from the sound of F1 engines, the lawns adjacent to the stables hosted the Cartier Style et Luxe concours—a carefully curated display of design-led vehicles judged by a panel of experts. Among the grand vintage Rolls-Royces and traditional coachbuilt entries, one of the more surprising inclusions was a display of mid-century vans, including one of the original ten Ford Transit prototypes commissioned by Henry Ford II in 1960. Marking 50 years of Transit production, it was fitting that the latest electric Ford F-150 Lightning Supertruck took top honours in the Shootout, the Festival’s only competitive, timed element.
For those in the market for a new car, Goodwood has become the spiritual successor to the British Motor Show. Many manufacturers now use the Festival as the place to debut their latest models. Ferrari presented its new Amalfi model, replacing the Roma, while the much-anticipated F80 hypercar made its dynamic debut, thrilling the gathered Tifosi.
Jaguar also revealed its bold and divisive electric Type 00. Reactions were mixed—many remain unconvinced—but the sheer presence of the car was hard to ignore. I was impressed by its scale and detail and look forward to seeing the production version in a couple of years.
Rolls-Royce, with its factory based within the Goodwood Estate, took over the stable block to present its current line-up. Among them was a modern interpretation of the striking yellow Phantom III featured in the James Bond film Goldfinger. The all-electric Spectre remains, for me, the most coherent argument for electrification in the Rolls-Royce range.
Not all of the new cars required a multi-million-pound bank account. The Wood & Pickett Mini by Callum is a reimagined classic Mini, redeveloped by Ian Callum CBE and backed by model David Gandy. It’s a highly detailed and luxuriously finished reinterpretation of the original design that manages to remain classless and unmistakably Mini.
Returning to the high-end resto-mods, Singer revealed its latest Porsche 911-based Carrera Coupé, an evolution of its existing concept with further refinement and detailing. Most notable were the flush-fitting pop-up spotlights integrated into the bonnet.
The list of boutique manufacturers producing bespoke ICE and electric hypercars continues to grow. Several now make use of 3D printing and aerospace techniques to create low-volume, high-performance cars. Among those drawing attention in the Supercar Paddock were the Praga Bohema and the Zenvo Aurora Tur.
As with the historic racers, these cars are not simply display pieces. All were run on the hill each day, spinning their wheels and showing off their carbon-fibre forms in full view of the crowd.
Mainstream brands also pulled in the crowds with large stands, free giveaways, and interactive attractions. MINI and BMW ran a sticker-based scavenger hunt that ended with a limited-edition BMW Top Trumps card pack. It cleverly drew visitors across the full stand layout. For me, the standout car was the BMW Speedtop, unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in May thanks to its low, clean, beautifully resolved design that made an instant impression.
Porsche claimed its share of headlines as well. Pop star Dua Lipa took her personalised Rennstall GT3 RS up the hill alongside Iron Dames driver Karen Gaillard, to cheers from the crowd. The one-off car will be auctioned online by RM Sotheby’s between 12–31 July, raising money for the Sunny Hill Foundation.
Another Porsche highlight was the only road-registered example of the 963 Le Mans car, the 963 RSP, created for long-time endurance racing backer Roger Penske. Finished in silver and fitted with a biscuit leather interior, the car includes special Sonderwunsch (‘special wishes’) details. It echoes the 1970s Porsche 917 that Count Rossi famously converted for road use.
Between Red Arrows flypasts and evening fireworks, there was constant action on the hill. A particularly emotional moment came when Derek Bell drove a Rothmans-liveried Porsche 956 to the front of Goodwood House and joined his family on the balcony. The tribute marked 50 years since his first Le Mans victory. Interviewed by Karun Chandhok, Bell gave a short and heartfelt speech that clearly moved those present.
FoS continues to strike a balance between historic motorsport and forward-looking mobility. Future Lab, now a permanent and popular feature, returned under the theme Mobility for Humanity. This year’s exhibits included a Certro Aerospace drone capable of carrying an injured person, a Boston Dynamics four-legged robot with lidar for perimeter and construction scanning, and even a humanoid robot in a leather jacket.
Back on the hill, tyre smoke and sideways antics proved as popular as ever. Drift cars included everything from a classic Toyota pickup to a boxy Volvo 740 estate fitted with a rotary engine. The goal, as ever, was simple: go sideways and generate as much smoke as possible.
Not to be outdone, HAAS F1 drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman joined the burnout competition, squaring off against the drift cars. It’s safe to say: F1 won that round.
For those preferring dust to smoke, the rally stage and off-road arena were just a short tractor ride away. Over the last decade, the rally circuit has developed into a standalone attraction. WRC machinery, Group B legends and historic rally cars all ran at pace through the tree-lined course. A 1985 Audi Quattro at full boost, all four wheels spinning, carving through a self-created cloud of dust, was one of the loudest and most memorable runs of the weekend.
Attending with friends or family always adds to the occasion. I’ve been coming to the Festival since its inception 28 years ago, and while the commercial footprint has grown, so has the depth and breadth of the experience. No other event covers this many forms of motoring in a single place.
Car of the event? For me, it was the TWR Supercat. Based on the Jaguar XJS and now producing over 600bhp from its V12, with all-new carbon-fibre body panels and a superbly trimmed interior, it was a standout. Just 88 will be built, with prices starting at £225,000. It was one of the most outrageous cars on display—and arguably one of the most attainable.
Tickets for the 2026 Festival of Speed, 9–12 July, are on sale now.
Mark G. Whitchurch is a seasoned motoring journalist whose work—covering road tests, launch reports, scenic drives, major races, and event reviews—has appeared in The Observer, Daily Telegraph, Bristol Evening Post, Classic & Sports Car Magazine, Mini Magazine, Classic Car Weekly, AutoCar Magazine, and the Western Daily Press, among others. He won the Tourism Malaysia Regional Travel Writer of the Year in 2003 and is a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers.
