Goodwood Festival of Speed postponed

The Goodwood Festival of Speed sees 150,000 spectators each day. Photo: Supplied

The famous Goodwood Festival of Speed has been postponed due to ongoing coronavirus concerns in the UK.

Scheduled to take place from July 9-12th at the historic Goodwood Estate, there are now plans to hold it late in the (Northern Hemisphere) summer or autumn, according to the festival organisers.

The Duke of Richmond, owner of the Goodwood Estate, said: “Over the last few weeks, we have been working together with everyone involved to understand the viability of the Festival of Speed going ahead in July. Due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus threat and not knowing whether the situation will have significantly improved by then, we sadly need to postpone the Festival of Speed in July.

The Festival of Speed is held at the grounds of the Goodwood Estate. Photo: Supplied

“These are dramatic and unbelievable times but they will pass and we are already trying to think about just how exciting it’s going to be to welcome you all back to Goodwood for what perhaps might be the ‘Greatest Event Ever”.

Plans for the Goodwood Revival will continue to be reviewed, in the hope that the event will be able to go ahead as planned on September 11-13th. 

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual hill club featuring historic motor racing vehicles held in the grounds of Goodwood House, in West Sussex.

It was founded in 1993 by Lord March (who later became Duke of Richmond) in order to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood estate — a location steeped in British motor racing history. Shortly after taking over the estate in the early 1990s, Lord March wanted to bring back motor racing to the Goodwood circuit but he did not have the necessary permit to host a race there. Instead, he hosted it on his own grounds.

Kiwi drivers such as drifter ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett (above) have raced at the festival. Photo: Supplied

In the early years of the Festival, tens of thousands attended over the weekend but by 2014, it attracted 100,000 on each of the three days it was held. Now it is capped at 150,000.

Kiwi drivers such as drifter ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett and rally champion Rod Millen have raced at the Festival of Speed. Millen was one of the first drivers invited by Lord March to race when the Festival of Speed began.