The Goodwood Revival is all about moments. Moments that only the Goodwood Revival can deliver.
Anyone who visited a place like Disneyland as a child knows the feeling. You turn a corner and spot someone dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow moments before a sword fight breaks out on a pirate ship. For a few minutes you’re transported, whisked away; you feel lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.
Then you realise that every hour, the same skit plays out, with the same actors, in a loop. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you were there, and you felt something, in that moment. The Revival, the Goodwood Road Racing Club’s annual celebration of vintage fashion and racing, delivers similar feelings, just in a different setting.
It had been more than a decade since my last visit, and at first glance, it was clear that much has changed. Mainly the scale of it. It’s bigger, busier, and everything is taken just that little bit more seriously. From the increase in themed vendors, stages for live period music and historic aircraft on display to the near-total adherence to the unwritten rule that if you’re going to dress up, you go all in. It’s still the Goodwood Revival I remember; you just feel smaller within its castle walls.
I vividly remember my first Revival moment from all those years ago. I’ve recounted it many times to people who have asked me what it’s like. I was sitting on a lawn, eating my lunch, when a Willy’s Jeep pulled up, and a group of American GIs hopped off and began playing an impromptu game of cricket with a team made up of members of the Home Guard.
To this day I’m not sure if they were actors or like-minded enthusiasts taking the brief extremely seriously. It’s not a race meeting. It’s an experience. And it turns out you can get that Disneyland feeling after the age of 13…
It’s not a race meeting. It’s an experience. And it turns out you can get that Disneyland feeling after the age of 13
My return last weekend came against a backdrop of exponential growth in vintage racing worldwide. New events are popping up everywhere, existing ones are becoming bigger and more money than ever is flowing through the paddocks. Yet despite the profound changes to that scene, plus the shift in the UK’s culture, politics, and identity over the past 10 years, the Revival quickly reminded me why it remains the crown jewel in the historic motorsport calendar. It stands alone and has lost none of its allure or appeal, almost 30 years on from its inaugural edition.
The first moment came early on Friday, on my way to the paddock. Right by the tunnel under the start/finish straight, the pedestrian walkways open up into a plaza. Music was playing, people were dancing, and at the centre of it was an Italian traffic officer on a pedestal, surrounded by a gloriously presented Fiat 500 police car, who directed his gaze my way as I pulled out my camera.
That was the first taste of the overarching ‘La Dolce Vita’ theme for the event, to celebrate 100 years since Maserati’s first victory at the Targa Florio and 80 years of the Vespa.
Italian flair was draped over the circuit, from faux coffee shops complete with secret entrances and a roaming mob boss, al fresco dining at pizzerias, streets lined with scooters, Italian fashion shows and perhaps most striking of all, a stunning row of garages reserved for entrants into the Lavant Cup for 1950s Maserati and Ferrari sportscars at the entrance to the main paddock.
But Italy’s contribution to 20th-century motorsport was just one of many moments, people, and events being recognised.
The three Ford GT MkIIs that finished 1-2-3 at Le Mans in 1966 were reunited once again, on display at presenting partner Dunlop’s display at the Earls Court mock-up motor show, and on track together as one of many demo runs on the programme. A parade featuring significant cars raced by Jack Brabham to mark 60 years since his third Formula 1 World Championship victory, and a tribute to Barry Sheene, were also on the agenda.
Away from four wheels, to propellers and wings, the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation concours d’elegance for pre-1966 aircraft was a sight to behold too, featuring an array of planes from a 1934 de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth to a 1959 Pilatus P-3. Themes included the 90th anniversary of the Spitfire’s first flight, which ensured the clearing for the planes were extremely busy throughout.
Soaking up the atmosphere by strolling through the paddock (where period dress is mandatory) and the style village (where even someone who knows next to nothing about fashion can appreciate the attention to detail) took up the bulk of my time over the weekend.
The constant rounds of live performances, with music from the 40s to 60s, dotted around the main spectator areas, added so much to the experience of people-watching and exploring. They give the weekend a mood-boosting soundtrack, complementing the magnificent engine notes of the race cars, elevating every drink break, meal and wander.
But the on-track racing cannot, and should not, be ignored; it is a motor racing event after all.
Many historic events suffer from one fundamental problem: the actual racing can feel dry, because, unsurprisingly, those behind the wheel tend to be extremely cautious, worried more about damaging their machinery than pushing for a result. Not at the Revival.
Every race feels like a race, helped in no small part by the smorgasbord of professional drivers invited to take part each year, who can’t resist any opportunity to make a pass and fight for silverware.
This can take newcomers by surprise, like four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who sat down with DSC after the first part of the St Mary’s Trophy race on Friday evening. Castroneves had just steered a ‘65 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA in a field of star drivers when we spoke.
The entry included, among others, Le Mans winners Andre Lotterer, David Brabham and Romain Dumas; touring car stars Matt Neal, Jason Plato and Andy Priaulx; NASCAR icon Jimmie Johnson; F1 World Champion Jenson Button; and fellow Indy legend Dario Franchitti.
“I had no idea this was real racing. I thought this was the same thing as the Festival (of Speed), where you go and wave at the crowd while driving. But everyone’s on it!” he said.
Castroneves, like the countless ‘Revival Rookies’ before him, was left grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s very, very impressive,” he added. “My first experience of historics was with IROC at Washington, a month ago, but it’s not that historic. This is the first weekend I’ve spent driving cars older than me! And it’s given me an appreciation for the past. I’m not sure I would be a race driver if I were born in these eras. You have to be pretty brave.
“I did not expect to see the event, and the public embrace the past like this, all wearing proper clothes. I’ve just been feeling like I’m in a movie. People who haven’t done it don’t understand. I’ve only been to one other place this magical. And that’s Indianapolis for the 500, because of the history. But this place is definitely up there.”
I’ve just been feeling like I’m in a movie
That level of enthusiasm isn’t exclusive to a personality like Castroneves, though. It can be found across the entry lists. Alex Brundle, a mainstay in the historic racing scene since his last FIA WEC race in 2022, has attended the Revival so many times now he can’t recall which edition was his first.
“It’s motorsport with so much character and competition,” he explained. “It’s easy to have character without it being competitive. It’s easy to have competition without character, which is so much of modern racing. This melds both, which is what makes Goodwood.
“The cars that race here are perfect because the circuit has a period feel and has exactly the same layout as it did decades ago; it’s incredible. Encouraging people to dress up too just makes it. The only other place that I think comes close is Brands Hatch because it’s a historic track and it’s longer. But you won’t get a big crowd all dressed up there.
“It just has such a good vibe. I had a hug from David Brabham yesterday after we scrapped over 15th in a race where I was in a Mini and he was in a Mk I Jag. It’s all done in the best spirit.”
During the weekend, I made sure I was trackside, unsurprisingly, for the marquee sportscar races. But there’s something for pretty much everyone interested in racing history, even bike enthusiasts due to the inclusion of the Barry Sheene Trophy.
The St Mary’s Trophy for 60s saloons was a highlight because of its star power, the Whitsun Trophy for 1960s sports prototypes because of the engine power and of course, the hour-long RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration for GTs and prototypes from ’63 and ’64 to conclude the event on Sunday afternoon, as ever, lived up to the billing. TT winner Andre Lotterer’s performance was one of many worth a re-watch.
Every race was exciting and easy to follow thanks to the number of big screens visible from spectator banks and grandstands, and well-placed circuit PA speakers for commentary.
The Goodwood Revival is a meeting that’s hard to fault. It delivers on its promise of an immersive experience that caters, in equal measure, to the most dedicated motorsport fans and event-goers who just want to dress up, dance, shop, and celebrate vintage style. And it feels that extra bit special because the circuit itself remains frozen in time.
I arrived wondering whether squeezing in a visit to Goodwood amid the packed sportscar racing calendar was wise. I left wondering why I ever questioned it. It’s a vibrant occasion, with an infectious atmosphere that’s ageing like a fine wine, and the cars that show up to compete.
Anyone who hasn’t been before and is tempted to go should just go. Anyone who hasn’t been in a while should consider returning next year. And if you’re a regular at race tracks for contemporary racing, you may find that, like me, you really need a palate cleanser every now and then.
The Goodwood Revival, and its moments, ticked every box in 2026. It definitely won’t be a decade before my next visit…
