Why the Goodwood Revival race weekend might outshine every other classic car event this year
The Goodwood Revival is renowned for transporting attendees back to the past, dressed up in 1950s-era fashion, with shops decorated in vintage styles, and an array of classic automobiles both on static display and enthusiastically raced around the famed circuit. This year will be spectacularly different, as there are several milestones to be celebrated, and here at Marc Brunel Recruitment we can’t wait. From 8 – 10 September, the Goodwood Revival returns for its 25th year, a quarter of a lifetime for this beloved, themed event. 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the inception of motorsport at Goodwood, and the sporting event has kept on growing year after year. This event is a must-see for automotive enthusiasts and specialists alike, so mark your diaries and dust off your overcoat and tweed, it’s time for a blast to the past at the 25th annual Goodwood Revival meet.
One of the Goodwood Revival’s classic trademarks is the races that set attendees’ hearts racing at the Goodwood Motorsport Circuit every year. This year there are 14 races scheduled for the weekend, and ranging from pre-war Grand Prix cars to the supercars of the 1960s, the racing event line-up this year will be enough to satisfy race fans of every kind. To begin, a race that cannot be missed will be the Rudge Whitworth race. This brand-new cup for 2023 will be honouring The 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. The 24 Hours of Le Mans has an established long and rich history where greats like Carroll Shelby, Bruce McLaren, and Lorenzo Bandini have tasted victory completing the gruelling race, so expect to see plenty of tributes for this foundational event. The Grid will be filled with Alfa Romeos, Bentleys, and several more sports-cars from the very first years of Le Mans, and will be in eyes’ view at this traditional, two-driver race.
With the automotive industry evolving to the future with the emerging EV [electric vehicle] market and sustainably-sourced fuels, the Goodwood Revival will also be making a mark on this with the Fordwater Trophy Cup. The race will consist of pre-1966 Porsche 911s and, for the first time, all 30 competing Porsches will be running solely on e-fuels. The race of these rear-engine machines will be an exhilarating battle to witness for the Fordwater Trophy. This event at the Revival will also be a wonderful homage to Porsche as the marque celebrate 75 years of excellence. For Ferrari fans, a must-see at the Revival is the Lavant Cup. This racing event will be laying out a grid of Ferrari GTs from the 1960s, and you can also expect to see Ferrari 250 SWBs and 250 LMs out for competition – we cannot wait.
The Lavant Cup also coincides with 60 years since Graham Hill won the RAC Tourist Trophy in a Ferrari 250 GTO, so this race will be a stunning sight for anyone whole holds the Scuderia close to their heart. Keeping on theme with F1, the Richmond and Gordon Trophies will celebrate the Grand Prix cars from the early days of Formula One. Brands like Cooper, Ferrari and Maserati were at the forefront of success at the start of F1 in the early 1950s, and nearing the end of the decade, Cooper became the scene stealer with a radical change that eventually led to a revolution in F1 design. The Richmond and Gordon Trophies will feature both front-and rear-engined F1 cars to battle on track.
In addition to the race events, the Goodwood Revival will also be holding centenary celebrations for the legendary Carroll Shelby. The American giant, manufacturer and entrepreneur will be honoured with a classic Goodwood tribute. The MG-TC will be on display paying homage to the race car Carroll Shelby first competed in back in 1952. His mark on motor racing will also be revealed as an assortment of Cobras will also be taking to the track for the all-star Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, along with Corvette Sting Rays, Jaguar E-Types and Porsche 904s. Shelby will also be remembered as the Whitsun Trophy will also feature Ford GT40s, and other mixture of cars including Can-Ams the Lola T70, and McLaren’s M1A and M1B. To close the action-packed track weekend, the Sussex Trophy will showcase its last line-up of stunning race cars. Appearances include the timeless Ferrari 264S Dinos, Lotus 15s, and Lister Knobblys. In past years, the Sussex Trophy drivers have put on some captivating shows for the Revival attendees, making this the perfect conclusion for the 2023 Goodwood Revival.
The Goodwood Revival is always a highlight in our calendar here at Marc Brunel Recruitment, and whether you’re interested in working with classic race teams such as Michael Hibberd Historic Racing or are looking for a sustainable option for the classics of the future with renowned EV specialists like Lunaz Design, get in touch now, and we can help you take the next step in your automotive career. Get in touch with us at info@marcbrunel.com or click on the Candidates page for more options, where we have positions available in the UK, USA and UAE.
– Akash Cheeda
