The 2019 Goodwood festival has got underway as the sussex venue was bathed in hot sunshine all day. With no moving motorshow held anymore, the festival now has four hill climb days.
Thursday isn’t totally a normal day though with manufacturers showing off cars for a lot of the day and some “Best of” batches of competition cars including some rally cars which will spend the rest of the festival competing on the forest rally stage at the top of the hill.
Despite it not being a moving motorshow, several manufacturers are launching cars with Mclaren being the highest profile today with the new GT having it’s world public debut with a car unveiled on the Mclaren stand and with another driving up the Hill. It has 612bhp and 465lb ft from the engine, giving a predicted 0-62mph of 3.2 seconds, 0-124mph in 9.5 and a top speed over 200mph.
You can see plenty of other supercars at the festival in the Michelin Supercar paddock which has been moved to a new location at the bottom end of the festival where the Moving Motorshow used to be. There are the latest supercars from all the top manufacturers.
Opposite the supercar paddock in the centre is the new home of the other cars from manufacturers, the first look cars with new and prototype cars from many manufacturers. There are even what could be seen as utility vehicles as BHL show off two of their new electric delivery vehicles.
In the site of the old supercar paddock (also once known as the Cathedral paddock) you can find the new for 2019 drift arena, where a large group of the top drift stars will be showing off their cars. Some will also make runs up the hill and these cars made their first runs today with even exotic machinery like a Lamborghini Huracan and even a Ferrari 458 engined Toyota GT86, because why not?
FOS Future Lab returns as a hub of pioneering achievements. It’s been sited next to the first glance paddock for 2019 with the two attractions both offering glimpses of the future, it’s the ideal pairing. Inside the future lab there are lots of dynamic, interactive activities that will inspire everyone from experienced industry audiences to younger visitors. There’s even the unveiling of a robotic tractor, sadly this won’t take to the hill!
A robot car that is taking to the hill is the Roborace prototype which is going to try for the fastest AI time up the hill so far. With the overall theme of this years festival being Speed Kings – record breakers of Motorsport.
One such record breaker being celebrated is Miichael Schumacher and many of the cars that featured throughout his career are going up the hill. One will feature one of the festivals female drivers with Lorina Mclaughlin taking her Benetton B192 up the course.
Bentley are celebrating their centenary with lots of their cars going up the hill including many of their successful racing cars and then many road cars on the Cricket pitch. Aston Martin, another marque with lots of Motorsport success celebrates 70 years with lots of their cars also on the hill with one car also taking its place on the central sculpture display in front of the house. This will be the site of another Goodwood “Moment” as the other Astons gather round the central sculpture to music and fireworks. The moment is fast becoming a Goodwood tradition now with something from motorsport celebrated every year.
Old favourites, Goodwood action Sports (Gas) and the Cartier Style Et Luxe return, the Cartier competition is on the Lawn as usual but the GAS show has moved slightly further up the site. Look out for more on the event over the weekend. By Marc Waller
