Big changes and new attractions for Festival of Speed 2019!

Fear not, the line-up will still feature the usual heady mixture of supercars, modern and historic racing cars, bikes and hi-tech, but 2019 sees changes to the layout designed to increase the spectacle and bring even more thrills to FOS-goers.

The Michelin Supercar Paddock will relocate to take up the area which formerly housed the Moving Motor Show near the start of the famous Goodwood Hillclimb. In its place in the Cathedral Paddock will be a brand-new area for the Festival – The Arena. Featuring some of the most extreme and exciting facets of motorsport, this new area will see drift cars shredding tyres and stunt drivers doing the daring, insane and unimaginable with car and motorcycle displays. The Arena will showcase some of the biggest stars and daredevils, and signing sessions will be scheduled each day giving fans the chance to meet their heroes.

The First Glance will also relocate from its current position near the Cathedral Paddock, right into the very heart of FOS – landing next to FOS Future Lab as the two come together to showcase the technology of now and the future.

Finally, the Goodwood Action Sports zone (GAS) is also receiving an injection of new content, as the familiar mix of motorcross, BMW stunt bikers and trials riders are joined by brand-new features including an e-gaming area. This increased GAS area will also relocate into the heart of the Festival.

Finally, Sunday is getting supercharged! After three days of practice runs the fastest cars of the weekend will enter the Sunday Shootout and attempt to beat the 41.6-second record time that has stood for 20 years. Supercars, touring cars, electric cars and specially-built hillclimb monsters will battle to be crowned the fastest car of the event. The three fastest cars will be displayed outside Goodwood House after the Shootout for fans to get close to.

The Duke of Richmond, founder of the Festival of Speed, said: “While celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Festival of Speed last year we enjoyed record attendance. We’ve seen an incredible 4 million visitors through the event gates over the last quarter of a century. We’re always very conscious of looking to the future as much as we are celebrating the past. We hope with Future Lab, and the relocation of the paddocks to make way for the new live action arena, there really is something to represent every area of motorsport and technology. There is something to appeal to all, from the youngest in the family to the most hardcore motorsport fan.” 

Tickets for the Festival of Speed are available from goodwood.com/fos and from Goodwood Customer Sales on 01243 755 055.

Photography by Jayson Fong/George Gunn.