Lewis Hamilton, at least seven Formula One teams and a long list of dramatic new road cars will headline the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Hawthorne to Hamilton – Britain’s Love Affair with World Motor Sport’ and celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Mike Hawthorn becoming Britain’s first F1 champion.
Touring cars, rally cars, you name it…
Other major anniversaries being marked include 50 years of British Touring cars. Organiser Lord March promises the most complete collection of BTCC cars yet assembled, from the Minis and vast Ford Galaxies of the sixties, through the Capris of the Seventies and Cosworths of the Eighties to the saloons of the formula’s Nineties heyday.
The Ford and Subaru world rally teams are confirmed, and modern sports car racing will be represented by the Le Mans-winning Audi R10 diesel and GT1 class-winning Aston Martin DBR9 in Gulf colours.The Festival is mainly about motorsport but it is acquiring increasing importance as a motor show, with manufacturers launching new road cars and using the famous hillclimb to let you see and hear them in action. This year’s Supercar Run will feature more than 50 cars, more than ever before, and will include UK debuts for the Audi R8 V12 diesel, the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS and the Mazda Furai concept.
A series of green cars will also feature, including the Morgan LifeCar, Tesla Roadster, Fisker Karma and the Toyota i-Real concept. Fiat is expected to use the Festival to launch two new engines, including its tiny but powerful two-cylinder turbo.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2008: the dates
The Festival takes place between 11-13 July 2008, the weekend after the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. McLaren, Ferrari and five other teams have confirmed that they will attend, with Hamilton taking to the hill in the current season’s car.
Land Rover will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary by sponsoring the spectacular sculpture outside Goodwood House. Lord March launched the event with a dinner at the house last night, during which 12-time World Trials Champion Dougie Lampkin rode his motorbike up and down the main staircase and around priceless antiques.
Tickets for the Festival are available by advance purchase only at www.goodwood.co.uk and are likely to sell out in advance.