Why the 2026 RAC TT Celebration will be the most intense ever

There’s more to it than that, though, because the RAC TT Celebration presented by Dunlop is often the most exciting and hard-fought race of the Revival weekend. It’s the one time where the gloves come off as teams and drivers engage in a meaningful battle for a win that genuinely matters. Hell, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button has bought a car with the sole purpose of taking the chequered flag on Sunday afternoon.

That’s going to prove quite the task, however, because the 2026 edition of the RAC TT Celebration promises to be the most competitive yet.

The drivers already confirmed for the race are some of the biggest names in motorsport and some of the most successful in their respective disciplines, and they’ll be lining up alongside a host of hugely experienced and quick historic racers.

The RAC TT Celebration regularly draws the sport’s biggest names over the years, winners of the Le Mans 24 Hours and the best from the world of touring cars, and recently we’ve seen an influx of stars from across the Atlantic.

After winning the inaugural Phil Hill Cup at the 83^rd Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport back in April, Button returns to the Revival looking to historic racing’s ultimate prize to his Goodwood record.

He will be joined by fellow Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve who, after wrangling the ‘Hairy Canary’ AC Cobra on his Revival debut in 2025, returns this year in the ‘CUT 7’ Protheroe-prepared Jaguar E-type, sister to Button’s purpose-bought ‘CUT 8’ Jag.

One of IndyCar’s most successful ever drivers, Hélio Castroneves makes his Revival debut in 2026. A four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, Castroneves’ achievements are matched only by AJ Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears, making him a bona fide legend of the sport.

He follows in the footsteps of Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, all of whom have all made their historic motorsport debuts at the Revival in recent years.

Another icon of his sport, Jimmie Johnson’s seven NASCAR Cup Series Championships makes him the most successful NASCAR driver, tied with ‘The King’ Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. Johnson is a Goodwood regular, returning to the contest after placing seventh in 2025’s RAC TT Celebration with Shaun Lynn and his AC Cobra Le Mans Coupe.

The greatest to ever race at the Circuit de la Sarthe, nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen returns to the Goodwood Revival this year after teaming with Mike Whitaker in the TVR Griffith 400 in 2025, as well as claiming victory in Part 1 of the St. Mary’s Trophy presented by Motul.

Colin Turkington’s four British Touring Car Championships makes him the most successful driver in the sport, a tally matched only by Andy Rouse and Ash Sutton. His 77 victories across a 20-year career is a feat second only to Jason Plato, so he will certainly be one to watch at the wheel of a historic closed-cockpit GT car.  

The 28^th running of the RAC TT Celebration has all the ingredients to be the most intense yet, the list of drivers is so awash with legends that there’s no way yet of predicting a winner. Conditions could yet play a part, as we saw in 2025, but any of these drivers could feasibly find themselves at the front of the field.

The flag drops for this year’s RAC TT Celebration, the grand finale of the Goodwood Revival, at 15:00 on Sunday 20th September. To add to the occasion, there will be a spectacular drivers’ parade aboard a double decker bus before the race, plus GRRC Members are invited to walk the grid and get up close to the incredible cars before they set off into battle.

The waving of the chequered flag doesn’t mean the Revival is over, however. The conclusion of the RAC TT Celebration marks the start of the brand-new Sunday Closing Party, which welcomes all attendees onto the track for dancing, prize-giving and many more special moments.

If you aren’t able to attend in person, then you can watch the full race as it happens on our live stream right here on GRR.

Saturday tickets and 3-Day passes for the Goodwood Revival have now sold out, and Friday and Sunday tickets are limited. 

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.