It has become one of the most exciting car festivals in the world. But the FoS means so much more to a common pleb like me as a car fanatic
The story of how the Goodwood Festival of Speed came about stems from a passion for motorsport. Charles Gordon-Lennox is an aristocrat who inherited his family’s Goodwood estate and wanted to bring back racing to the Goodwood Motor Circuit that was started by his grandfather, Freddie Richmond. However, he lacked the necessary license to stage the event. Therefore subsequently, it was held at his estate instead.
Its inaugural fixture was Sunday 20th June 1993 with a small number of selected historical cars in attendance, yet it attracted a crowd of 25,000 people. Due to its instant popularity, Saturday was added to the calendar in 1994, turning it into a weekend occasion. These first two festivals collided with the Le Mans endurance race, so Lord March (as he was known then) made sure it didn’t clash with either that or the Formula 1 race calendar for future dates.
The festival continued to grow and in 1996, Friday was included on the annual event calendar as well. Crowds peaked in 2003, when 158,000 attended. A crowd cap was introduced thereafter limiting attendance to 150,000, as was advanced ticket purchase for admission. For car and motorsport fanatics, the Festival of Speed (FoS) is one of the most interesting and exciting car festivals on the planet.
Well for a commoner like me it is. And FoS 2021 didn’t disappoint. It lived up to the anticipation, not least because FoS 2020 was cancelled due to the Coronavirus. With the pandemic resurging thanks to the Johnson variant, FoS 2021 was part of the Events Research Programme as a pilot event. That means people had to agree to conditions of entry. This included either having had both doses of the vaccine 14 days before or taking a Lateral Flow Test within 48 hours of attending.
"There’s so much more to see and do at the FoS, that you don’t know where to start"
Now for a young pleb like me, it meant having to do the latter. I have had my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but am still waiting for my second dose which isn’t due until August 25th. With the test complete (it was negative, by the way) I uploaded the result to the NHS App to show and prove I’m uninfected and gain entry into FoS 2021. This was also the case for my youngest brother Ross, who like me, has only had his first Pfizer dose and is awaiting his second.
But for my dad, who works for the NHS, and other brother Matt, both had had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, so it was a more or less hassle-free procedure to enter FoS 2021. Yet, whatever method you needed to adopt depending on your vaccination status, it was worth it. For me and my family resident in a village called Barningham in Suffolk, the distance to Goodwood House in West Sussex equates to 169 miles, or about three hours of driving.
That meant our visit to FoS 2021 entailed some logistical planning. We were attending the FoS on Sunday, and to make the most of the day, we aimed to arrive at 8:30am. That meant we had to leave home at 5:30am, which meant we’d have to get up at about 5:00am. At this time of day, in early morning, there is something quite tranquil. It was overcast, but the temperature was warm nonetheless. With most people still asleep and yet to wake, the notion just adds to the anticipation of the special day ahead.
As we reached our destination, the four of us exit car park M and set foot in FoS 2021 through the Molecomb entrance. At around 8:30am, the action on track is about to begin. But my attention is preoccupied by the fact that the Porsche Experience Centre is a stone’s throw from our entry point. I find myself locked in an unconscious tractor beam pulling me as I start walking towards Porsche, mentioning to my family where I’m headed as I do so. My brothers and dad duly follow in my wake.
"the screeching shrill from Jaguar is drowned out by the bellowing cacophony from the Hillclimb"
The factor drawing me in to Porsche is the 992 GT3. Now that I’m at FoS 2021, I just can’t wait any longer to see it with my own eyes. Moments later, as I approach Porsche, I notice a bright banana coloured car in my line of sight taking centre stage. It’s the 992 GT3. My pace quickens now, as I dodge and dart around fellow FoS 2021 attendees. Then I stop. I stand for a short time, just taking the 992 GT3 in. You notice how it drips with more purpose and intent compared with 911s lower in the pecking order.
My brothers and dad are on the scene now too, observing the Porsche cars on display. But my attention is still firmly fixed on the 992 GT3. I start to recite some stats. The engine – a 4.0 litre six cylinder naturally aspirated unit – is derived from Porsche Motorsport and makes 503bhp. The aerodynamics are revised to create 60% more downforce than its predecessor. The front suspension is a double wishbone setup for the first time. And that all enables the 992 GT3 to do a sub seven-minute lap time at the Nürburgring, with PDK transmission installed. Quite incredible.
My next ponder is what it must be like to drive. That though, I may never know. Time waits for no one, and there’s so much to see and do at the FoS, that you don’t know where to start. We depart Porsche, and proceed to explore FoS 2021. We can hear loud tyre screeching in the distance. It’s the Jaguar Driving Experience. A small circuit has been constructed so Jag can hoon an F-Type Convertible with attendants prebooking a ride. It is quite exciting to watch and does look like good fun. And it really is the best marketing and PR Jaguar can do to promote their brand and product portfolio.
After a short period witnessing multiple F-Types doing drifts and doughnuts one after the other, we move on. But the screeching shrill from Jaguar is drowned out by the bellowing cacophony from the Hillclimb. The track action is in full swing now and comprises of the most eclectic mix of icons from motorsport past and present, including Formula 1 cars, NASCARS, Rally cars and Drift cars. As I’m walking, it reminds me of just how much the FoS has grown since its inception, and how big it has now become.
"It appears only a matter of time until credible alternatives to Tesla cars are produced"
The enticement it has for car fanatics like myself is utterly compelling. There really is nothing else quite like it. And the best example illustrating this point is the accessibility of the paddocks where all the cars are showcased. We’re now heading to one that is singularly popular. It’s a bit of a trek to get there, and that’s made more of an ordeal by the swarms of people attending. It’s a task to navigate your way through the FoS populous, no matter where you go, especially so as we clamber across the Main Bridge. But there’s still some distance to go.
We approach the Assembly Area where cars are prepared before they head up the Hillclimb. This zone services the paddock we are about to visit, which is always teeming with people. That paddock is called the Formula 1 pitlane. Now whilst it probably isn’t as exciting as an actual pitlane at an actual Grand Prix, it does give a great insight into what F1 is like close up. We meander along the pitlane, observing each team. The sheer number of onlookers make it hard to catch a clear look at the cars. The pinnacle of motorsport fascinates like nothing else.
We make the most of our time in the pitlane before we decide to depart. To check out the next paddock, we retrace our steps past the Assembly Area and back across the Main Bridge. The exhibit we are headed towards is a new one for the FoS. It’s called Electric Avenue – The Road to 2030. The clue’s in the name as it displays BEVs that are on sale right now, and some that will be in the near future. As we walk through the canopied avenue, it’s intriguing to observe them up close. Some do spark the imagination more than others, like the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Rimac C_Two.
But the reference point amongst them is the Tesla Model 3. Elon Musk’s company are further up the road in terms of research and development in the electric, digital and autonomous era and have rather upstaged the car industry. Yet it’s clear from the examples showcased here that carmakers are getting to grips with BEVs, although some more than others. It appears only a matter of time until credible alternatives to Tesla cars are produced.
"As a person from a normal/ordinary background, the FoS opens a door to the world of supercars and motorsport that would otherwise be closed"
We are quite captivated by the Electric Avenue. However, there’s another paddock that’s one of the most exciting parts of the FoS, the Supercar Paddock. To get there we have to thread our way through the Goodwood metropolis, and cross the Startline Bridge. Once the other side, we are greeted by a Porsche 991 GT2 RS MR and a Mercedes AMG GTR Black Series both mounted on raised plinths. It sure does whet your appetite for what’s in store – every supercar that matters are here.
Different supercars give off different vibes. There is something subtly and subliminally seductive about Ferrari. No matter what model, they have a magnetism that’s hard to overlook and resist. Aston Martin too have a serious coolness that’s hard to describe. It’s almost spellbinding. Lamborghini have flamboyance and a rebellious streak in them. While McLaren are incredibly clinical. And the Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer DLS is just gorgeous. As a car fanatic, I’m in dreamland.
This account is just a snapshot of my Sunday at the FoS 2021. But as a car fanatic, it means so much more. As someone who rarely gets to see supercars other than through a screen or magazine, the FoS is a place where two worlds collide. As a person from a normal/ordinary background, the FoS opens a door to the world of supercars and motorsport that would otherwise be closed. In attending the FoS, I’m so very close, yet still so far away. Here’s to the FoS 2022!
Photo: Callum Alexander
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