[Video] 2024 Surtees Trophy highlights | 81MM | GRR

2024 Surtees Trophy Highlights

While you’d expect the big-power prototypes to be the main protagonists – McLarens, Lolas, GT40s and so on – it was in fact the lithe and nimble Chevrons that made the biggest impression at the top of the standings.

Early eyes were on Alex Brundle who took a last-minute GT40 drive in the Surtees this weekend. He made it his mission to go on a bit of an overtaking spree but his efforts were scuppered by a poorly car. That left Ben Mitchell and Andrew Kirkcaldy in their Chevron B8s and and John Spiers in his McLaren M1B to thread together a thrilling three-car fight up the front.

A big banger the McLaren might have been, it was the Chevrons that ended up tussling to the end, though Kirkaldy’s efforts were for all but nought given the ten-second penalty he’d copped for a false start. All the same, a thrilling mid-engined sportscar fight.

What is the Surtees Trophy?

A feature of the 72^nd Members’ Meeting, the Surtees has been run three times over the past ten years for sports prototypes that raced between 1960 and ‘66.

The race is of course named after John Surtees, a beloved and dearly missed friend of Goodwood most famous as a world champion racer on both four and two wheels. 2024 marks 60 years since he claimed his F1 title, in 1964. That followed a distinguished career in motorcycle racing during which he claimed seven titles between 1956 and 1960. In ’58, ’59 and ’60, he was champion on both 350cc and 500cc machines.

But it’s his win of the inaugural Can-Am series in 1966 that makes him not only one of the great motorsport Swiss army knives, but a perfect title driver for one of the fastest races we host at our historic race meetings.

Which cars are racing in the Surtees Trophy?

The cars taking part in the race are all sports-racing prototypes of a type that raced between 1960 and 1966. That means you can expect to see everything from Ford GT40s to early Can-Am machinery from McLaren and Lola with M1As, M1Bs and T70s strewn throughout the field.

There will also be some less well known marques in the mix. The likes of Chevron, Chinook and Atilla are also represented in this years' Surtees Trophy. The Chevrons in particular bring a more delicate, highly-strung energy to the grid thanks to their revvy four-cylinder engines, which offer quite the contrast to the gargling V8s that will dominate the Surtees Trophy chorus.

Which drivers are racing in the Surtees Trophy?

The Surtees Trophy always brings together an excellent field of drivers, many well-versed in the art of racing at Goodwood. The race’s last running at the 79^th Members’ Meeting saw the likes of Oli Bryant, Ewen Sergison and Rob Hall battling it out, lighting up the timing screens with the relentless speed of these incredibly powerful prototypes. It was Bryant that triumphed in his Lola T70 Spyder.

This year, Alex Brundle will line up on the grid in his Ford GT40 with a view to adding his name to the Surtees Trophy roll of honour.

When is the Surtees Trophy?

If you're in attendance this weekend for the 81^st Members' Meeting you'll know when the Surtees Trophy cars are out on the Motor Circuit because you'll be able to hear them. Some of the loudest cars at the event will take to the track for Official Practice at 14:35 on Saturday. They'll return for the race on Sunday at 11:50.

Photography by Nick Wilkinson

Previous winners of the Surtees Trophy

Photography by Jason Fong, Drew Gibson and Michal Pospisil.