Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the largest and most iconic motorsport and car culture events in the world. Held annually at Goodwood House in West Sussex, it’s a unique blend of historic racing heritage and cutting-edge automotive innovation – all set against the backdrop of a grand English estate.
It returned for 2025 and over the weekend we were there to experience a high-octane weekend of screaming Formula 1 cars, ultra-rare supercars, thrilling rally cars, priceless classic cars and celebrity appearances!
Hypercars, legends and future icons
Drawing over 200,000 visitors across its four-day duration, the biggest automotive event of the year covers a massive area and is heaven for any car enthusiast. Attended by all the largest carmakers and the event has everything you can imagine – we’re talking legendary supercars, all the classics, rare low-production prototypes, record-breakers, rally cars, motorcycles and even boats and helicopters.
The long-awaited McLaren W1 drew huge crowds as the spiritual successor to the F1 and P1, while Ferrari’s new F80 arrived as Maranello’s latest halo hypercar. Aston Martin also brought the ferocious Valkyrie fresh from Le Mans, and boutique British firm Lanzante unveiled its dramatic 95-59 three-seater supercar inspired by the legendary McLaren F1. Even among Goodwood’s usual sea of exotica, these were the cars stopping people in their tracks.
75 Years of Formula 1
This year’s theme ‘The Winning Formula – Champions and Challengers’ – marked the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship. From its inception in 1950, Formula 1’s relentless pursuit of excellence has inspired all forms of racing – leading the charge in innovation and ambition, whilst setting new standards in speed, technology, and design.
The Festival of Speed showcased the sport’s quest to find ‘The Winning Formula’, bringing together the past, present and future F1, with the event’s biggest ever celebration of the series. Fans saw legendary cars, drivers, teams, designers and personalities from the very pinnacle of motorsport.
Gordon Murray takes centre stage
Taking pride of place in front of Goodwood House, this year’s Central Feature celebrated Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA), highlighting the extraordinary legacy and innovation that Professor Gordon Murray CBE has brought to the world of automotive design and engineering.
The sculpture showcased the Brabham BT52 and the GMA T.50, offering visitors a unique insight into the genius and craftsmanship that have become synonymous with the marque. Across the Festival of Speed site, GMA celebrated Murray’s 60-year career, with Dario Franchitti opening the hillclimb on Thursday morning in a T.50.aguar Type 00 concept given UK unveiling.
The iconic climb
Goodwood Festival of Speed is most famous for its iconic hillclimb – a long winding stretch of road that cuts through the centre of the festival and flanked by grandstands where visitors can watch drivers compete for the shortest time.
It’s a thrilling experience watching your favourite supercars blasting past you flat-out just metres away. It can get extremely loud, especially the F1 cars, but this just adds an extra level of drama and excitement. The hillclimb is not just for the fastest cars, we saw 1960s racing cars, Dakar rally cars, electric vehicles and highly modified drift-cars. Romain Dumas, who took the spoils last year in the Ford Supervan 4.2 with a final time of just under 44s, returned to try and retain his crown.
Balcony of stars
Fans were treated to an historic moment on Saturday afternoon, when the Balcony of Goodwood House welcomed Alain Prost, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sir Jackie Stewart, Jacques Villeneuve, Mario Andretti, Mika Häkkinen and Nigel Mansell alongside Bernie Ecclestone, Karun Chandhok and The Duke of Richmond.
With over 100 Formula 1 cars in attendance, the history of Formula 1 was brought to life with cars from all eras of the championship on display in the expanded F1 Pit Lane paddocks, including The Prologue looked back to the inaugural AIACR Manufacturers’ World Championship of 1925.
Celebrity appearances
The most illustrious side of the Festival of Speed? The celebrities it attracts, both from the motorsport industry and elsewhere. Previous attendees include Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger, Bryan Ferry, Simon le Bon, David Beckham, Chris Hoy and Jodie Kidd. This year popstar Dua Lipa made a surprise appearance and showed off her custom Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
Lipa worked with Porsche to come up with the ‘Dua Lipa Renstall’ livery earlier in 2025, with the stunning design debuting at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix. The sports car will be auctioned off for her Sunny Hill Foundation. The singer recently completed the European leg of her Radical Optimism tour. She was taken up the famous Goodwood hillclimb in the car by Karen Gaillard, part of the all-female Iron Dames sports car team.
Why Goodwood stands apart
Unlike traditional race events, the Festival of Speed blends history, innovation, and spectacle, offering visitors an up-close look at cars and drivers. The event also emphasises fan interaction, allowing attendees to get close to the action, explore the paddocks, and even meet their favourite drivers and celebrities.
The festival celebrates the history of motorsports, current innovations, and the thrill of competition. It features a hill climb, displays of historic and modern racing cars and motorcycles.
But what truly makes Goodwood special is the atmosphere. Whether you arrive as a lifelong motorsport fan or simply curious about the world’s most extraordinary machines, the Festival of Speed has a way of drawing you in. The sound of engines echoing through the grounds, the sheer accessibility of the cars and drivers, and the mix of heritage and cutting-edge innovation create an experience unlike anything else on the automotive calendar.
Find out more about the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2025
Image credits: © Goodwood, PA Media, Jayson Fong, Tom Baigent
