Well, this weekend was the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend as I had some other commitments (motoring ones, funnily enough, such as taking a look at an M3) but I thought as it’s such a classic event I should really give you all some information about it.
As Goodwood themselves say:
The Festival of Speed is far more than just a hillclimb – it is a celebration of the history of motor sport and can justifiably claim to be the world’s biggest and most diverse classic motor sports event. Taking place outside Goodwood House, using the main road through the Park as the track, it’s the only occasion where you’ll see in action the greatest competition cars and star drivers from the entire history of motor sport.
Famous drivers and riders have attended such as Sir Stirling Moss, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Nigel Mansell, Mika Hakkinen, Johnny Herbert, Juan Pablo Montoya, Richard Petty, Carl Fogarty, Giacomo Agostini, Troy Corser, Troy Bayliss, Jean Alesi, Jacky Ickx, Marcus Gronholm, Petter Solberg, Hannu Mikkola and Alan Jones to name just a few. The Festival is an unrivalled social and sporting occasion in the motor racing calendar.
Ten Top Tips to get the most from the Festival of Speed:
From 25,000 visitors at the inaugural 1993 event, attendance at the Festival of Speed has grown to accommodate 150,000 visitors each year.
The Festival is supported by around 29 sponsors and associate sponsors, including more than fourteen car and motorcycle manufacturers, plus some of the biggest names in technology, lifestyle, publishing and luxury goods.
324 journalists and 210 photographers from 102 publications reported on the 2007 Festival of Speed.
Programmes and news items from 22 television stations and 12 radio stations worldwide broadcast before, during and after the 2007 Festival of Speed.
Press features on the Festival of Speed were reported in 28 different countries.
Over 200 cars took to the hill during the Festival of Speed in 2007, along with 45 road and racing motorcycles. In addition, more than 30 cars tackled the Forest Rally Stage and 40 cars took part in the Cartier Style et Luxe.
30 historic racing cars, worth a total of $25 million, were transported to the UK specifically to take part in the Festival of Speed in 2007. However, this doesn’t include the 5 Bugatti Type 41 Royales, originally built by Ettore Bugatti exclusively for Royalty and heads of state, which are estimated to be worth around $60million in total.
52,300 private cars parked at the venue during the course of the 2007 Festival; if lined up nose to tail, the ensuing traffic jam would stretch 148 miles.
Some 1400 marshals ensure the safety of both competitors and spectators.
Building the temporary hillclimb course takes around 2000 man hours of labour, and a further 1200 man hours to dismantle it again. At least as many man hours again are devoted to erecting the marquees and exhibition stands.
9.5km of protective straw bales have to be laid out, totalling some 4000 bales weighting 1400 tonnes – these are held in place by 5500 timber stakes which, if laid end to end, would stretch 11km.
More than 7km of temporary roadway is laid down in the park.
More than 2000 acres of grassland is mown over three months in preparation for the Festival of Speed.
At the 2007 Festival, 3000 catering staff served 59,000 sandwiches, 49,000 hot drinks, 58,000 pints of beer and 496 cases of wine. More than 1810 bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne were drunk by visitors and guests, kept cool by 6.5 tonnes of ice.
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