Goodwood to host mixed event in October
THE GOODWOOD ESTATE is set to host a behind-closeddoors motoring festival in midoctober in place of its cancelled Festival of Speed, Revival and Members’ Meeting events, placing an equal focus on new metal and classic cars.
The Duke of Richmond earlier said that a digital event would allow Goodwood to “keep the flame alive”, after its trio of well-attended automotive fixtures had to be cancelled in light of the ongoing social distancing restrictions.
The new event is expected to take place at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, rather than the Estate itself, meaning that the Festival of Speed’s hillclimb centrepiece is unlikely to feature.
Like the Festival of Speed, however, the new event is expected to start on a Thursday and continue throughout the weekend.
Reports suggest the first day will be centred on showcasing new cars, which would then join historic machinery and racing cars on the track for timed sprint events – a first for the venue.
Broadcasting plans haven’t yet been finalised, and it’s unclear whether the Members’ Meeting aspect – traditionally reserved for members of the
Goodwood Road Racing Club – will be publicly ‘accessible’.
When it was forced to cancel its motoring calendar, the Goodwood Estate relaunched its Supporters’ Association – founded 25 years ago to recommission the circuit – in an effort to recoup some of the revenue lost in 2020.
Ticketholders for any of the cancelled events can transfer part or all of their refund to this organisation, which the Estate says will help it “weather the storm” of the pandemic.
Goodwood has long been considered the heart of Britain’s motoring enthusiast community. The annual Festival of Speed – which this year was scheduled to take place from 9-12 July – is regarded as the UK’S primary motor show.
Last year’s edition hosted important unveilings and public debuts for an array of manufacturers, including
Bentley, Ford, Mercedes-amg, Radical and Volkswagen.
The Revival and Members’ Meeting celebrate classic road and racing cars and provide a rare opportunity to see highly valuable historic metal being driven competitively, in many cases by well-known racers.
It’s expected that all three events will be able to return to a more conventional format in 2021, and any purchased tickets will remain valid.