Goodwood Revival 2023 star drivers and riders | GRR

Which F1 drivers are racing at the 2023 Goodwood Revival?

The return of 2009 World Champion Jenson Button, making his third consecutive appearance at the Revival is the obvious headline here. Button has really caught the historic motorsport bug since making his debut in 2021 and will now race a stunning Jaguar C-Type in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy alongside friend and fellow racer Alex Buncombe.

Nine-time F1 winner Mark Webber is also going to make his racing debut at Revival. The former World Endurance Champion and FIA GT runner-up has driven at the event before in various demos and tributes but will race competitively in a Porsche 911 as part of the Fordwater Trophy in 2023.

But he’s not the only former F1 ace who will be seen on track over the weekend. Former McLaren, Arrows, Sauber and Jaguar driver Pedro de la Rosa is set to make an appearance along with Sky Sports F1 presenter and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok and ex-Marussia driver and Goodwood Hill record holder Max Chilton. Mark Blundell, who raced in both IndyCar and F1 and now helps run a BTCC race-winning team, is also returning to Goodwood.

Another F1 star returning for the first time in several years is three-time Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert, who is set to race multiple times over the weekend including in the RAC TT Celebration. 

Also to be seen at the event will be two-time F1 champion, double Indy 500 winner and IndyCar champion Emerson Fittipaldi as well as three-time F1 champion Sir Jackie Stewart. Damon Hill, the 1996 F1 World Champion, will also be making an appearance on track over the weekend.

Which Le Mans winners are racing at the 2023 Goodwood Revival?

A lot is the quick answer. In no particular order, you can expect to see Jacky Ickx, the man who earned the name Mr Le Mans with six victories stretching back to 1969. He’ll be joined by the man who swiped that title from him, nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen as both will be seen at the event multiple times over the weekend. Ickx's long-time partner in sportscar racing, and five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell will also be at the Revival.

The event might take place on the same weekend as a round of the World Endurance Championship but that hasn’t stopped sportscar racing’s stars from heading to West Sussex.

Richard Attwood, the man who took Porsche to its first-ever win at Le Mans, will return. The Goodwood stalwart has been racing at the Revival for its entire history and has become an iconic sight in his open-faced helmet and goggles. David Brabham, who won Le Mans in 2009 with Peugeot, will make an appearance as well as two-time Le Mans champion and second-fastest man up the Goodwood Hill Romain Dumas. Fellow Audi Le Mans-winner Dindo Capello will also return to Goodwood.

It wouldn’t be a Goodwood event without drives from five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro or 1989 champ Jochen Mass, both of whom will be seen on track over the weekend as well as third-placed finisher in 1990 Tiff Needell. 2003 winner Guy Smith returns having become a staple of the RAC TT grid over the last few years as well as triple winners Benoit Treluyer and Marco Werner.

GT legend Darren Turner is another sportscar star who has become a central part of what we do at Goodwood over the last few years. He will return again as well as Nicholas Minassian, Sebring 12 Hours winner and British GT champion Marino Franchitti, multiple World Endurance Championship LMP2 race-winner Alex Brundle and long-time GT and prototype racer Johnny Mowlem.

Any American legends racing at Revival 2023?

Oh yes. And what better American racing megastar than seven-time NASCAR champion and former IndyCar racer Jimmie Johnson? Jimmie made his debut at the Revival in 2022, making his first steps into historic racing with the St Mary’s Trophy and RAC TT, and enjoyed it enough to return for 2023. 

Which touring car drivers are driving at Revival 2023?

Well. We have to start with the reigning champion. Tom Ingram will race at the Revival in 2023 fresh from a podium at Knockhill and currently lying second in the 2023 season. Colin Turkington, currently fourth in the BTCC, is also set to return for another round of historic racing at Goodwood.

They’ll race alongside our good friend and 2013 BTCC champion Andrew Jordan, whose Jordan Racing Team will be running several cars at the event and who will race himself multiple times. He’ll be joined by former World Touring Car Champion Rob Huff, fresh from his much-heralded return to the BTCC. 

Three-time BTCC champion Matt Neal is set to race as well as his long-time team-mate at Dynamics, and fellow three-time champion, Gordon Shedden. Also in action, and it wouldn’t be a Goodwood event without him, is 1999 BTCC runner-up Anthony Reid. 

What about bike racers at Revival 2023?

Loads. John McGuinness is as well known now for racing at Revival as he is for his TT exploits (well, as far as we’re concerned anyway), and he will return for another crack at the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy. That race will feature the iconic Sheene name for the first time since Barry won the Lennox Cup (as it was known) in 2002 – his final race on UK soil. Son Freddie will make his Goodwood racing debut at the event in 2023 having been part of celebrations in the past. 

Offering Sheene some familiar support will be Barry’s former team-mate and now long-time motorcycle racing commentator Steve Parrish - who is no doubt already cooking up a method to gain an advantage. They’ll be up against the second most successful man ever on the TT course, as Michael Dunlop returns for another crack at Revival glory. He’ll be joined by fellow TT star Josh Brookes and multiple TT winners Peter Hickman and Mick Grant.

British Superstock champion and road racer Davey Todd is also set to take part in the race as well as British Superbike and former Moto3 rider Kyle Ryde. If they need any tips they can turn to 28-time British Superbike race winner and first man to ever lap the TT circuit at over 100mph on an electric bike Michael Rutter. 

Eight-time Northwest 200 and ten-time TT winner, Welshman Ian Lougher, is also among those racing bikes twice over the weekend as well as TT and British Superstock rider James Hillier. They’ll be joined by fellow road racer Maria Costello.

Will Rowan Atkinson be racing at Revival in 2023?

Yes. The star of Blackadder, Johnny English and much more will return to the cockpit of a historic racing car again at Revival in 2023. Following an emotional first-ever podium at Goodwood back in 2021 Rowan has been at every event that his filming commitments allow. He even took time to drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota rally car up the Hill at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard.

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite we’ll have a full entry list ready to publish very soon as we count down the days to the 2023 Goodwood Revival. Keep an eye out on Goodwood Road & Racing for more.

Lead image courtesy of Motorsport Images.