Gearing up for the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Goodwood is gearing up for a four-day motoring feast as the annual Festival of Speed gets underway.
This years sky-sweeping Central Feature by sculptor Gerry Judah. Picture by Paul MelbertThis years sky-sweeping Central Feature by sculptor Gerry Judah. Picture by Paul Melbert
This years sky-sweeping Central Feature by sculptor Gerry Judah. Picture by Paul Melbert

With appearances from reigning Formula 1 World Champion, Nico Rosberg, and fan favourites Robert Kubica and ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett, this year is set to bring more power, energy and horsepower than ever before.

Getting underway today (Thursday, June 29) the festival of speed will attract thousands of motor enthusiasts all keen to see their favourite cars, bikes and stars of the motoring world.

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Reigning F1 champion Nico Rosberg will be roaring up the famous Goodwood Hill on Sunday, July 2 in his 2014 Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, while Russian Grand Prix winner Valtteri Bottas will take the wheel for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport on Saturday, July 1.

Another thing not to miss will be this year’s Central Feature which will be an incredible celebration of the life and career of Bernie Ecclestone who did so much for motorsport in elevating F1 as he did.

Other highlights include the all-new FoS Future Lab featuring flying cars, electric planes and 3D Printers; the hundreds of Ferraris old and new which will be coming together to celebrate 70 years of the prancing horse and the 110 years of Brooklands collection.

Lord March said: “Our Festival theme for 2017 is ‘Peaks of Performance - Motorsport’s Game Changers’. To illustrate the theme, we have filled the paddocks with cars and bikes that were so much faster, and more sophisticated, than their rivals that in many cases the rules were changed to restore competition. As ever we are celebrating lots of important anniversaries, providing us with a platform on which to create a festival that reflects the absolute greatest cars, bikes, drivers and riders.

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“We pay tribute to the great John Surtees, a Patron of the Festival from the first event in 1993, who sadly died earlier this year. John won his first ever car race at Goodwood and competed at both the Revival and the Festival. A truly extraordinary sportsman. Some road closures will be in place and residents are warned to expect some disruption.

Meanwhile a sky-sweeping sculpture by Gerry Judah is in celebration of the extraordinary life and career of Bernie Ecclestone and is the centre and forms the centre piece of the event.

Traffic congestion is expected around Goodwood and the road leading to the site which also coincides with more Southern rail disruptions.

A ban on drivers working overtime starts today (Thursday) and Southern said ‘some services will be amended or cancelled’, adding to potential travel chaos.

A large number of closures to roads surrounding Goodwood Motor Circuit will be in place all weekend; including part of Claypit Lane, Kennel Hill Road, Madgwick Lane and Pook Lane.

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