How Goodwood became home to the UK's biggest car show #320
About this episode
Explore the fascinating evolution of the Goodwood Festival of Speed from a temporary 1993 stopgap into the UK's premier motoring event. Hosts Dan Proser and Andrew Frankel trace how a simple hill climb, originally meant to pave the way for circuit racing's return, unexpectedly drew tens of thousands of fans and transformed into a global launchpad for supercars. The duo share thrilling stories from the challenging hill climb, discuss legendary record-breakers like the McMurtry Spéirling, and recount personal, white-knuckle experiences navigating the notorious Molecomb corner.
Dan Prosser and Andrew Frankel investigate how the Goodwood Festival of Speed became the UK's biggest and most important car show. From humble beginnings in 1993 when just 2000 people were expected to attend, the event now welcomes more than 200,000 car enthusiasts each year, as well numerous new car debuts and superstar special guests.
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Goodwood Festival of Speed
"Because from the British Grand Prix, we then move on to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It's busy a few days, isn't it, for car people in this country?"
A massive annual car festival in England where famous racing drivers run historic and modern cars up a narrow hill climb track in front of huge crowds.
An annual hill climb event held in West Sussex, England, featuring historic and modern motor racing vehicles. Founded in 1993 by Charles March, it has grown into one of the world's largest and most prestigious automotive celebrations, attracting major manufacturers and racing superstars.
Land Rover Series I
"Well, I mean, it's kind of like the sort of series one Land Rover of events insofar is, it was conceived as a stopgap."
The very first classic Land Rover, built right after World War II as a rugged farm vehicle that could go anywhere.
The original British utility vehicle launched in 1948, featuring a robust box-section steel chassis and aluminum body panels due to post-war steel shortages. It established the template for the modern go-anywhere four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Charles March
"So to then Earl of March, now Duke of Richmond, Charles March, his dream was always to bring motor racing back to the circuit."
The British nobleman who owns the Goodwood estate and created the famous Festival of Speed and Revival car events.
Charles Gordon-Lennox, the 11th Duke of Richmond (formerly known as the Earl of March), is the founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival. He successfully brought motorsport back to his family's historic estate in West Sussex.
McLaren MP4/13
"For the longest time, more than 20 years, the hill climb record was held by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren MP413."
A famous, incredibly fast Formula 1 race car from 1998 that won the world championship with driver Mika Häkkinen.
A highly dominant Formula 1 car designed by Adrian Newey for the 1998 season, powered by a Mercedes-Benz naturally aspirated V10 engine. It won both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in the hands of Mika Häkkinen.
Nick Heidfeld
"For the longest time, more than 20 years, the hill climb record was held by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren MP413."
A German Formula 1 driver who held the speed record at the Goodwood hill climb for over twenty years.
A German professional racing driver who competed in Formula 1 from 2000 to 2011. He held the official Goodwood Hill Climb record for 23 years after setting a blistering 41.6-second run in a McLaren F1 car in 1999.
McMurtry Spéirling
"And it stood until 2022, when Max Jilton beat it in that extraordinary McMurtry Speeling, the little electric fan car."
A tiny, incredibly fast electric car that uses powerful built-in fans to suck itself to the ground for unbelievable cornering grip.
An ultra-compact, single-seat electric track car featuring an active twin-fan downforce system that sucks the car to the ground. It famously broke the Goodwood Hill Climb record in 2022 with a time of 39.08 seconds.
fan car
"And it stood until 2022, when Max Jilton beat it in that extraordinary McMurtry Speeling, the little electric fan car."
A car that uses powerful built-in fans to suck air out from underneath itself, pulling it tight to the road so it can take corners at extreme speeds.
A racing car design that uses powered fans to extract air from underneath the chassis, creating a low-pressure zone that sucks the vehicle to the road. This active aerodynamics technology generates massive downforce independent of vehicle speed.
Max Chilton
"And it stood until 2022, when Max Jilton beat it in that extraordinary McMurtry Speeling, the little electric fan car."
A British racing driver who broke the all-time speed record at the Goodwood hill climb in 2022.
A British professional racing driver who competed in Formula 1 and IndyCar. He set the outright hill climb record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022 driving the electric McMurtry Spéirling.
Lamborghini Diablo
"I was, I don't know how many years ago this was, but I was in a Lamborghini. I think I was in a Diablo in the supercar run."
A wild, wedge-shaped Italian supercar from the 1990s with a loud V12 engine and scissor doors.
A mid-engined supercar produced from 1990 to 2001, powered by a high-revving, naturally aspirated V12 engine. It was the first production Lamborghini capable of exceeding 200 mph.
Molecomb
"I mean, the famous corner is Morkham. And, you know, as they say in all the briefings, if you wait until you can see the corner before you break, you have crashed."
The most famous and dangerous corner on the Goodwood hill climb track, where many drivers crash because they can't see the turn until it's too late.
A notorious, blind left-hand corner on the Goodwood Hill Climb track. It is famous for catching out drivers who carry too much speed over the preceding brow of the hill, often resulting in crashes into the straw bales.
Jaguar XJ220
"A, an XJ220 once went through an awful lot of hay bales, which had been at the time about, well, not that much longer before being..."
A sleek, ultra-wide British supercar from the 1990s that was briefly the fastest car in the world.
A mid-engined supercar produced in the early 1990s, powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine derived from Group C racing. It briefly held the record as the world's fastest production car, reaching 212.3 mph.
Singer Vehicle Design
"Singer have the big central display this year. Yeah. That's a big step up and forward for them, isn't it?"
A highly respected company that takes classic Porsches and rebuilds them by hand with modern materials, making them incredibly beautiful and fast.
An American boutique car restoration and modification company famous for its meticulously 'reimagined' air-cooled Porsche 911s. They combine classic design aesthetics with modern carbon-fiber bodywork and high-performance engineering.
Ford GT40
"you know, Ford raced Ferrari at Le Mans in 1964 with the GT40. They all break. Ford raced Ferrari at Le Mans in 1965 with the GT40. They all break. Ford raced Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966. And finally, yeah, then they won."
A famous 1960s race car built by Ford to beat Ferrari at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
A legendary mid-engined endurance racer powered by American V8 engines, built specifically to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It achieved this goal with four consecutive Le Mans victories from 1966 to 1969.
Jochen Mass
"I can remember speaking to me. Yocamass was a friend of mine, who was his teammate, and he'd know..."
A famous German racing driver who was teammates with James Hunt during his championship-winning year.
A highly successful German racing driver who competed in Formula 1 and sports car racing, famously winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989. He was James Hunt's teammate at McLaren during the dramatic 1976 season.
Ken Miles
"I hope they get the GT 40s to go up the hill together in sort of arrow formation. But this time with Ken Miles's car at the front, because..."
The brilliant driver and mechanic who helped Ford develop the GT40 race car and was famously depicted in the movie 'Ford v Ferrari'.
A British sports car racing engineer and driver who was instrumental in developing the Ford GT40. He famously dominated the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans before a controversial team-ordered finish denied him the victory.
Ferrari 312T2
"And I presume the. Hunts M23 McLaren and loud as 312. What would it have been a T2? Yeah, it would have been a T2."
The iconic red Ferrari Formula 1 car driven by Niki Lauda during his legendary 1976 rivalry with James Hunt.
A Formula 1 car powered by a flat-12 engine, featuring a transverse gearbox layout designed by Mauro Forghieri. It is famous for its role in the dramatic 1976 championship battle driven by Niki Lauda.
M23 Mclaren
"And I presume the. Hunts M23 McLaren and loud as 312."
The classic 1970s Formula 1 car that James Hunt drove to win his famous world championship.
A highly successful Formula 1 car designed by Gordon Coppuck, powered by the ubiquitous Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine. It won the World Championship with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1974 and James Hunt in 1976.
Can-Am
"It's 110 years of Indy car, 60 years of Can-Am. I think it's 60 years of Trans-Am as well."
A historic North American racing series from the 1960s and 70s with almost no rules, resulting in insanely fast and loud race cars.
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, a sports car racing series that ran from 1966 to 1987. It was famous for having minimal technical regulations, leading to some of the most powerful, aerodynamic, and technologically advanced race cars of the era.
Goodwood Motor Circuit
"that has taken place since 1993 was designed to get racing back to the motor circuit."
A historic British race track built on an old WWII airfield that now hosts famous vintage car races.
A historic racing circuit in West Sussex, England, opened in 1948 on the site of a former World War II airfield. It hosted major international races until closing in 1966, and was completely restored to host the Goodwood Revival starting in 1998.
Douglas Bader
"mainly Spitfires, I think it is famously where the, um, legendary legless pilot, Douglas Barber, um, took off from on his last flight where he got shot down..."
A famous British World War II fighter pilot who flew combat missions despite having artificial legs.
A legendary Royal Air Force fighter ace of World War II who flew and fought despite having lost both of his legs in a pre-war flying accident. He was stationed at RAF Westhampnett, which is now the Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Tony Gaze
"Um, but it was, it was actually a bloke called Tony Gays, who was an RAF pilot during the wall. Um, and he was a big car fan."
A WWII fighter pilot and race car driver who first suggested turning the Goodwood airfield into a race track.
An Australian fighter ace of World War II and a racing driver who was the first Australian to compete in a World Championship Grand Prix. He is credited with suggesting to the Duke of Richmond that the roads around RAF Westhampnett be used as a racing circuit.
Brooklands
"Brooklands was gone because it had been torn up by, um, military buildings and that sort of thing."
The very first custom-built race track in the world, built in England in 1907 with steep banked turns.
The world's first purpose-built banked motor racing circuit, opened in Surrey, England, in 1907. It served as a major hub for British motorsport and aviation development until it closed at the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
Stirling Moss
"but Sterling begged them to let him take a car to the Nürburgring to the 1000 Ks, because he just really wanted to do it."
A legendary British racing driver from the 1950s and 60s who is often called the greatest driver never to win the Formula 1 world championship.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, the British driver won 212 of the 529 races he entered across various disciplines. His professional career was cut short by a severe crash at Goodwood in 1962.
Bruce McLaren
"So where Bruce McLaren lost his life? Well, that was after racing stopped there. Yeah."
The famous racing driver and engineer from New Zealand who founded the McLaren car company and race team.
A New Zealand racing driver, designer, and engineer who founded the McLaren racing team. He was highly successful in Formula 1 and Can-Am racing before tragically losing his life while testing a Can-Am car at Goodwood in 1970.
McLaren M8D
"So it is where Bruce McLaren, uh, in 1970 testing the M8D, um, McLaren Cam-Am car."
An incredibly powerful, wide 1970s race car with a giant rear wing that dominated North American sports car racing.
A Group 7 Can-Am racing car powered by a massive, naturally aspirated Chevrolet V8 engine producing around 800 horsepower. Nicknamed the 'Batmobile' due to its high rear wing, it dominated the 1970 Can-Am season.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
"a 911 GT, what would a 911 GT3 RS do around there with a really good driver who was, who'd taken some brave pills?"
A special, track-ready version of the Porsche 911 with a massive rear wing and a loud, high-revving engine.
A track-focused, naturally aspirated variant of the iconic rear-engined Porsche 911 sports car. It features extreme aerodynamics, lightweight construction, and a high-revving flat-six engine.
Ford F-150 Lightning
"Yeah. It would be lightning. It would be fantastic to watch."
The F-150 Lightning is a large pickup truck made by Ford that runs entirely on battery power instead of gasoline. It looks very similar to a standard truck but features a large storage space under the hood where a traditional engine would normally sit. It is designed for everyday driving, towing, and hauling without producing tailpipe emissions.
The Ford F-150 Lightning is an all-electric version of America's best-selling pickup truck, combining traditional utility with modern EV technology. It features dual electric motors, standard all-wheel drive, and unique capabilities like the ability to export power to tools or even a home during an outage. It is often discussed as a major milestone in the automotive industry's transition to electric vehicles.
Alpine A110
"One of the things I'm looking forward to at Goodwood this year is seeing the new Alpine A110. It is apparently going to make its public debut at the Festival of Speed..."
A modern, lightweight French sports car designed to be incredibly fun and agile on twisty roads.
A lightweight, mid-engined sports car featuring an all-aluminum chassis and a turbocharged inline-four engine. It is celebrated by enthusiasts for its exceptional agility, ride comfort, and focus on low weight over pure horsepower.
MG Cyberster
"I mean, I was going to say on the podcast, in the week I saw my first MG Cybuster on the road."
A modern, fully electric convertible sports car with cool doors that open upwards, built by MG.
An all-electric two-seat roadster featuring scissor doors and a dual-motor powertrain producing up to 536 horsepower. It represents a modern, heavy EV reimagining of MG's classic lightweight sports car heritage.
Alpine A290
"because the A290 that I've been living with for six months, it goes back more or less as soon as we end this podcast recording."
A sporty, fully electric hatchback from France designed to be fast and fun to drive around town.
An all-electric hot hatch based on the Renault 5, featuring a front-mounted electric motor and a sport-tuned chassis. It serves as Alpine's entry-level performance EV, emphasizing agile handling and retro styling.
Audi S5 Avant
"because I've been running the A290 and an Audi S5 Avant. And for someone in my situation, a car lover with young kids, it has been such a great car combo..."
A fast, sporty Audi station wagon with a powerful engine and all-wheel drive.
A performance-oriented wagon (Avant) powered by a turbocharged V6 engine and featuring Audi's signature Quattro all-wheel-drive system. It combines everyday family utility with high-speed highway cruising capability.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
"I've got a Porsche Taycan Turbo S here. All 950 horsepower of it. Yeah. And a thousand, and God knows how many feet of torque."
A incredibly fast, luxury electric sedan built by Porsche that accelerates as fast as a supercar.
A high-performance, all-electric four-door sedan featuring a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup with an 800-volt architecture. It delivers supercar-like acceleration, producing up to 750 horsepower with launch control.
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