Every September, the Duke of Richmond and his merry men transport tens of thousands of people back in time to the golden era of British motorsport for the Goodwood Revival. 

Pure escapism 

This is so much more than a historic race meeting – although, of course, the no-holds-barred motorsport forms the backbone of the weekend. Nope, the Revival is pure escapism, a world of colour, speed, noise and nostalgia that, at times, can be overwhelming to experience. 

In addition to the usual mouth-watering roster of races, which this year ranges from the Brooklands Trophy for pre-War Bentleys to the blue-riband Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration for 1960s GT cars, there will be a special celebration for the Cooper Car Company and a parade marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. 

Happy birthday Sir Stirling Moss

There will also be a particularly special cavalcade of cars that took part in the 1959 RAC TT race, an epic affair that ultimately saw Aston Martin clinch that year’s World Sportscar Championship. The occasion will also serve as a moment to wish Sir Stirling Moss, who won the TT in ’59, a happy 90th birthday. 

Naturally, the entry list reads like a who’s who of past and present motorsport history. Star drivers and riders confirmed for 2019 include Dani Pedrosa, Brendon Hartley, Jochen Mass, Rowan Atkinson, John McGuiness, Andre Lotterer and Dario Franchitti. 

One helluva roll call 

The latter is making his racing return, having retired from IndyCar following a terrible accident back in 2013. He will drive a Ferrari 250 GT ‘Short Wheelbase’ in Friday evening’s star-studded Kinrara Trophy together with Classic Driver dealer Joe Macari. 

We won’t divulge too much information here, simply because the Duke of Richmond has a knack of surprising Revival-goers with scarcely believable ‘pinch-me’ sights and sounds each and every year. Here’s to another unforgettable Goodwood Revival weekend. We’ll hopefully see some of you there!

Photos: Mathieu Bonnevie for Classic Driver © 2019