Festival of Speed at Goodwood gets under way

Thunder and lightning made for a spectacular reveal of the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed Central sculpture as the four-day motoring spectacular gets under way this morning.
Goodwood Festival of Speed scuplture 2016   Picture by Paul MelbertGoodwood Festival of Speed scuplture 2016   Picture by Paul Melbert
Goodwood Festival of Speed scuplture 2016 Picture by Paul Melbert

BMW has taken centre stage as Honoured Marque at the sold-out motoring event, with the spectacular central feature celebrating 100 years of BMW.

BMW guests and media enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at Goodwood House last night (Wednesday, June 22), followed by speeches by Lord March and Dr Nicholas Peter around the turning circle, beneath sculptor Gerry Judah’s glorious creation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Epitomising this year’s Festival of Speed theme, ‘Full Throttle – The Endless Pursuit of Power’, it comprises three sweeping steel forms put together in a celebration of speed and dynamism. BMW’s myriad motorsport successes are represented on each arm, with the legendary BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster, the Gordon Murray-designed Brabham-BMW BT52, and the Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR featured.

Meanwhile the four-day Festival of Speed gets underway this morning (Thursday, June 23) with the moving motor show, with the stars of motorsport - as well as the cars themselves - helping to attract the crowds.

Grand Prix drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are among the star drivers lined up and The Mercedes pair will take to the famous Goodwood Hill.

Hamilton will take the wheel of a 2014 Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid for the run on Saturday (June 25), with Rosberg driving the same new generation turbo on Sunday (June 26).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other famous faces include Olympian Sir Chris Hoy, superbike royalty Carl Fogarty, Former F1 champions Jenson Button, Sir Jackie Stewart as well as Racing legend and “Mr Goodwood” Sir Stirling Moss.

As last year the ever-popular Red Arrows will stun Festival of Speed visitors following their Friday (June 24) display by arriving on foot to greet the crowds and soak up the atmosphere at the world’s largest motoring garden party, exact times still to be confirmed.

There will be plenty of action on the hill climb and rally stages as well as displays, entertainment, the Bonhams auction and a whole feast of motoring-related fun startin with the moving motor show.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

Always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics: