Peter Lyon
September 18, 2022
- Tens of thousands of car enthusiasts turn up in period costume
- The Goodwood Revival is held at Goodwood Estate every fall
- The highlights are the legendary race cars and racing heroes from yesteryear
The Detroit Auto Show might just have started in Motor City but on the other side of the pond, the Goodwood Revival is just getting underway as well. Billed as the world’s greatest historic motor race meeting, the Revival will run from for three days from September 16 to 18. Attracting tens of thousands of fans each year, all decked out in period costume, the venue takes on the air of a Hollywood movie set from the 1940s or 50s.
Owner of the Goodwood Estate and patron of the event, the Duke of Richmond said that this year, his Revival will celebrate 75 years of Ferrari, 100 years of the Austin 7 and 60 years since Graham Hill’s first F1 world championship.
Special Protocols To Honor The Queen
Queen Elizabeth II’s passing temporarily put the event in jeopardy, but after consultation with the UK Government and in line with official protocols, the weekend will go ahead as planned with special dedicated moments to honor Her Majesty. In keeping with the period style of the event, Goodwood staff will wear black armbands throughout the Revival weekend and all visitors are welcome to do the same. There will be a book of condolence at the Motor Circuit for people to sign and all Union flags will fly at half-mast. The organizers will be showing a special short film of The Queen at Goodwood over the years on each day of the event, which can be viewed across the site on the various big screens. A minute’s silence will be observed after each viewing.
Iconic Vintage Fashion From The 1940s and 50s
In addition to some of the most exquisite classic cars, the Goodwood Revival offers guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in iconic vintage fashion. The Revival is defined by its period dress code with tweeds and trilbies for men and pin curls and petticoats for the ladies. Every outfit has a story behind it as the Revival community thrifts, borrows and restyles items in order to embrace the glamorous styles from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. They even have a ‘Best Dressed Competition’ where judges are on the lookout for authentic outfits that capture the charm of yesteryear.
As always, the Goodwood Revival will showcase some of the most exquisite classic cars, motorcycles, and aeroplanes. On the track, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy will host stunning sportscars from the late-1940s to early-1950s including the Jaguar C-Type, Aston Martin DB3S, and the Allard J2X. Also set to race across the weekend are the likes of the Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari 250 SWB, Aston Martin DB4 GT, and an impressive 30 MG Bs, taking part in their own dedicated race, the Lavant Cup. Earls raceway will also play host to a fleet of 1932 Fords for their 90th anniversary.
Champion Drivers To Make Special Appearance
Goodwood has long brought together competitors from across the spectrum of motorsport and this year, some 30 different racing championships will be represented. Appearing from the world of Formula 1 will be World Champions Jenson Button, Damon Hill and Sir Jackie Stewart, alongside former and current IndyCar drivers Max Chilton, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti and Jimmie Johnson, whilst on two wheels, iconic riders such as Peter Hickman and Gary Johnson will strut their stuff.
Ahead of its special centenary celebrations at France’s famed Circuit de la Sarthe in 2023, the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary Trophy will be on display at Revival, before it begins its epic relay around the world. On display at various locations across the event, the trophy joins 15 drivers who have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 44 times between them.
This year, the Revival will also celebrate 10 years of the Settrington Cup, said to be the world’s cutest race. Named for one of the nine titles held by the Revival’s founder, The Duke of Richmond who is also Baron of Settrington, this Cup race is contested over a distance of 220 metres down the Pit Lane Straight. First seen at the Revival in 2012, the Settrington Cup sees kids aged between 4 and 11 years old, get behind the wheel of their tiny Austin J40 pedal cars and proceed at full leg power down the Pit Lane Straight.
Another firm favorite amongst the Revival regulars is the Bonhams Sale. Each year a collection of extraordinary classic cars go under the hammer, with some reaching record prices.. This year, a car close to Goodwood’s heart will be auctioned at the Sale: the Aston Martin DB3, which won the first Goodwood 9 Hours race back in 1952. If you happen to be in the UK this weekend, we’d highly recommend you make the effort to get down to West Sussex. For car lovers it’s a bucket list event.
