Festival of Speed: Goodwood sculpture unveiled as Moving Motorshow starts events

AN ACTION-packed race meeting is in store – with the fastest cars and biggest names in motorsport coming to Goodwood’s Festival of Speed.
Goodwood Festival of Speed centrepiece celebrating Mercedes Benzs motorsport history spanning 120 years. Sculpture designed by  Gerry Judah. SUS-140625-140629001Goodwood Festival of Speed centrepiece celebrating Mercedes Benzs motorsport history spanning 120 years. Sculpture designed by  Gerry Judah. SUS-140625-140629001
Goodwood Festival of Speed centrepiece celebrating Mercedes Benzs motorsport history spanning 120 years. Sculpture designed by Gerry Judah. SUS-140625-140629001

Kicking off today with the Moving Motorshow, the four-day festival will host the legendary drivers and cars under the theme ‘Addicted to Winning’.

This year’s central display, designed by renowned sculptor Gerry Judah, celebrates the achievements of Mercedes Benz over 120 years in motor sport.

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The sculpture, unveiled by Lord March and head of Mercedes-Benz Classic Michael Bock, towers 26 metres over Goodwood House, weighing 150 tonnes.

Maserati also marks its centenary and Jaguar comes to the festival on the 60th anniversary of its first victory at Le Mans.

Visitors to the festival can expect to see Formula 1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, John Surtees, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jenson Button, Jochen Mass, Sir Jackie Stewart and Damon Hill in the crowds.

Le Mans 24 Hours winners Emanuele Pirro, Andre Lotterer, Henri Pescarolo and Jackie Oliver will also take to the hill climb, while world rally champions Sebastien Loeb, Bjorn Waldegard and Didier Auriol will take on the gravel course of the forest rally stage.

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On Saturday, Felipe Massa, who started last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix from pole position, will drive the Williams FW18, which Hill famously took to the 1996 drivers’ title, and which won 12 of the 16 grand prix held that season.

Damon Hill, who took 21 grand prix wins, 20 pole positions, 19 fastest laps and 40 podium finishes with Williams, will also have a run-out on Goodwood’s iconic 1.16-mile hill.

Lewis Hamilton, 2008 F1 World Champion, will take to the hill climb on Sunday afternoon in a modern grand prix car, run by his regular Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team.

F1 world champion, Jenson Button, 34, will also return to the festival.

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They will be joined by Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy, celebrity chef James Martin and drag racing legend Ron Hope.

There will also be action away from the hill climb, with rally cars on the forest rally stage, stunts on two wheels in the Goodwood Action Sports arena, grand prix bikes going full throttle and air displays from the Red Arrows.

Goodwood will support Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice at this year’s festival.

“We are extremely proud to be able to support Chestnut Tree House,” said Lord March.

Travel disruption

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Thousands of people are expected to descend on Goodwood, near Chichester from June 26-29.

The busiest areas will be the A27 at Chichester between Arundel and Portsmouth. It is likely travel will be slow on the A286 and the A285 near Chichester.

Gates will open on Thursday, June 26 at 7am, with the event closing at 7pm.

Gates will open at 6.50am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and close at 7pm.

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