Photography by Jayson Fong
Anyone who has been to the Goodwood Revival will be able to tell you there is nothing else like it in the world. It’s one of the biggest dress up shows that also benefits from having one of the most spectacular paddock areas in motorsport. But for most, it is that the racing at the Goodwood Motor Circuit is the thing that brings them back year after year to watch cars driven the way they were intended to be.
Like many other circuits around England, Goodwood is built on the perimeter of an airfield: the result being a challenging high-speed course that has very little tolerance for error, but fittingly, is a place that rewards the most daring of pilots. Over the Revival weekend, there is nothing else quite like watching these stunning machines jockey for position, especially in events like the well-known RAC TT.
From the prime spectating area at the chicane, watching these cars brake hard into the famous right, left—brakes glowing before powering out whilst kicking up dust is an exhilarating experience.
However, it wasn’t just dust that was kicked up last weekend. For the first time in a number of years, race day was hampered by the heavy rain. As a result, the Barry Sheene Trophy for motorcycles was tightly contested with multiple close calls and hair raising moments, whilst watching and hearing GT40s searching for grip on the drenched circuit also revealed the pure courage of historic racing drivers. Certainly, the rain at this year’s event and the dramatic wet weather racing will be sure to remain firmly etched in the memories of many brave spectators and teams.
For 2016, variety was more evident than usual with the highlights ranging from grids full of humble Austin A30s all the way to grids in the inaugural Kinrara trophy featuring no less than three rare Ferrari 250 GTOs and a handful of 250 SWBs. Particularly special was the appearance of the iconic 3-litre Formula 1 cars with sculptural manifolds and lines. Bringing back memories of the classic film Grand Prix to reality, they were a very welcome and highly anticipated part of the schedule.
With such gorgeous looks and a dedication to form over function, who could disapprove?
In such a fascinating setting with such a keen attention to detail, the Goodwood Revival is a place like no other. Whether you are a car enthusiast or into retro fashion and lifestyle, it is a place worth experiencing.
However, if you are keen to watch classic cars at the circuit, on the limit, with some of the world’s most famous drivers and some nail-biting racing, the Revival is simply somewhere you must go.
Source: formandfunctionintl.com
