The Goodwood Festival of Speed 2023 takes place from 13-16 July in the beautiful grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex. Our hope is for glorious sunshine – and that some contemporary F1 drivers will make an appearance before jetting off to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
This year marks several important anniversaries, including the 30th Festival of Speed since its inception in 1993. That first event was a relatively humble affair, with only 2,000 people predicted to attend.
In fact, 25,000 joined the likes of George Harrison and Nick Mason, convincing the former Earl of March – now the Duke of Richmond – that he’d started something special.
Celebrating 75 years of Porsche
The Festival of Speed grew almost exponentially into the behemoth we know today, with classic and contemporary racing cars quickly becoming a permanent fixture.
At the turn of the century, the major car brands joined the party, along with technology partners, extreme sports stars and just about anything with wheels and an engine. Today, Goodwood hosts one of the best motoring events on the planet.
For 2023, the ‘central feature’ sculpture celebrates 75 years of Porsche, with numerous famous German road and racing cars taking to the hillclimb throughout the four-day event.
Le Mans legends in action
Porsches will be ever-present in celebrating the centenary of Le Mans, too – expect to see the legendary 917 in action on the hill. Another invited great from the 24-hour race is the Mazda 787B (pictured above). With its piercingly loud rotary engine, it remains the only Japanese car to win Le Mans outright.
The shriek of Formula One engines will also slice through the summer air. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel will entertain the crowds in Nigel Mansell’s championship-winning Williams FW14B and Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/8. Vettel’s passion for the environment means the cars will run solely on sustainable fuel.
Might we also see another hillclimb record? Nick Heidfeld’s time of 41.6 seconds, set in 1999 in the McLaren MP4/13, still stands in the non-electric category. For those lucky enough to witness Max Chilton’s record-breaking electric run of 39.08 seconds last year, set in the radical McMurtry Speirling, the same car will return to have another crack at bending space and time.
The unofficial British motor show
Beyond the track, the Festival of Speed also looks to the EV future. Electric Avenue showcases the very latest battery-electric vehicles, from urban runabouts to seven-figure hypercars, flanked by interactive activities for visitors of all ages.
Eleswhere, the Supercar Paddock brings together many of the fastest and most exciting cars in the world. Highlights from 2022 included the Mercedes-AMG One, Ferrari SP3 Daytona and Czinger 21C. We got our first look at the BMW M3 Touring (pictured above), too.
The paddock is where the Festival of Speed shows its intimate side, as fans get up-close with famous machines. You can feel the ground shake as an F1 car fires up, or possibly indulge in a bit of celeb-spotting.
A glamorous garden party
Lastly, if you want to escape the commotion, the Cartier Style & Luxe lawn features the most elegant concours cars and radical concept vehicles, all displayed for your viewing pleasure.
Tickets for the 2023 Festival of Speed cost from £60 and are available from the Goodwood website. You can spend vastly more on various hospitality packages, but honestly, we wouldn’t bother. Just take a packed lunch and enjoy the spectacle. It’s really about the cars, after all.
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