Why Dunlop and Goodwood Revival make the perfect pair
For nearly 30 years, the original era of the Goodwood Motor Circuit has been recreated in celebration of the time when it was one of the pre-eminent venues in world motorsport, between 1948 and 1966. But since that first event, there’s always been something missing.
The cars that race are the real deal, the Motor Circuit surroundings are filled with genuine vehicles and artefacts, even the fashions that fill the Revival Style Village have survived the tests of time. And yet, the photos of the track have always lacked one very crucial detail: the word ‘Dunlop’ emblazoned across hoardings, grandstands and barriers, just as it was.
With the announcement that Dunlop has come onboard as the presenting partner of the Goodwood Revival, the world’s greatest historic motorsport event is about to receive an exciting new lease of life.
Goodwood’s connection with Dunlop goes back to the very earliest days of the Motor Circuit, and it’s a huge coup for the Revival to have such a storied name so intrinsically involved.
When the Motor Circuit first opened in 1948, Dunlop was already a hugely successful tyre manufacturer. Cars shod with Dunlop tyres had already claimed ten Le Mans 24 Hours victories, and the brand had become a direct competitor to Michelin in the global market.
Dunlop was a household name, and its growth continued once its branding had been splashed across the Goodwood Motor Circuit. With its positioning above the grandstands, on the podium and across the barriers it was a major feature of Goodwood’s motorsport events. It was a collaboration between two of the most famous names of the time.
Dunlop was a household name, and its growth continued once its branding had been splashed across the Goodwood Motor Circuit. With its positioning above the grandstands, on the podium and across the barriers it was a major feature of Goodwood’s motorsport events. It was a collaboration between two of the most famous names of the time.
Throughout the Goodwood era from 1948-1966, Dunlop tyres carried cars to 11 more Le Mans wins, but it was its success in Formula 1 that truly sent the brand stratospheric.
The pivotal moment came when Maurice Trintignant won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1958 driving a Dunlop-shod Cooper T45; the floodgates were opened.
By 1959, after revealing a series of groundbreaking technological advancements, Dunlop held the monopoly in F1 tyres, becoming the sole supplier, save for a final World Championship running of the Indianapolis 500, by 1960.
At Goodwood, Stirling Moss won the 1959 Glover Trophy using Dunlop tyres on his Cooper T51, and Jack Brabham claimed the first of his World Championships with the esteemed rubber.
The following six World Championships, and Grands Prix (bar one), were all won by cars running on Dunlop tyres. In total, Dunlop tyres accounted for 72 Grand Prix victories, not to mention a long list of triumphs at Goodwood, before the Motor Circuit closed for competitive racing in 1966.
But while Goodwood lay dormant, Dunlop’s run of success continued, with 11 more Grand Prix wins between 1967 and 1970. The brand’s final F1 victory came at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, when Pedro Rodriguez took the chequered flag in his BRM P153.
Dunlop’s partnership with Porsche brought about another period of remarkable success at Le Mans. First with the 936 and then with the era-defining 956 and 962, the brand picked up another nine victories at the Circuit de la Sarthe between 1977 and 1987.
There were two final victories with Jaguar and Mazda in 1988 and 1991, and Dunlop has continued to maintain a presence at many of the world’s most famous motorsport events, including the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the V8 Supercars Championship.
With the announcement of this new partnership, Goodwood is welcoming back one of the great motorsport brands, which in its 60-year hiatus from the top of the Woodcote Grandstand and the hoardings that surround this historic Motor Circuit, has developed an even greater legacy.
This is the first time the Goodwood Revival has worked with a presenting partner. It’s a development which promises to carry the event into a new era, and we’ll look forward to seeing how Dunlop elevates the experience over the coming years.
Tickets for the 2026 Goodwood Revival are now on sale, with Saturday tickets 96 per cent sold. Book before the final price rise at 23:59 on Tuesday 30th June to save on your tickets and 3-Day Passes.
If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today and save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.
Goodwood images courtesy of Nigel Snowdon, Bernard Cahier, John Holroyd and Dick Snagge.
Other images courtesy of Getty Image.
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