Goodwood Festival of Speed preview
01.06.2011 - Alex Goy
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The 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place on July 1-3, and we'll be there showing you the latest metal, the best runs up the hill and all the goings on around the Goodwood Estate.
It all started in 1993 when Lord March wanted to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood circuit - a track steeped in motor racing history. As he didn't have the right licence to host a race, Lord March held an event on his private grounds for historic racers. The event pulled in a crowd of 25,000. The following year a second day was added, with a third (the Friday) added in 1996.
Each year's festival has a theme; this year's is Racing Revolutions - Quantum Leaps That Changed Motor Sport. This means cars like the Audi Quattro (which introduced 4WD to rallying) and the McLaren MP4/1 (which introduced carbon fibre to F1) will be taken up the infamous hill climb - a 1.16-mile route that runs through the estate and rises over 300ft. It's a tough test for any car, let alone some of the vintage competitors.
Every car in attendance (they're all selected personally by Lord March) will go up the hill at some point. Cars are grouped by class, with the oldest examples going up the hill first. At the 2010 Festival of Speed everything from vintage racers to the Lexus LFA took to the hill.
As well as the hill there's a supercar paddock, where visitors can look around the latest metal. There aren't any barriers, so you can have as close a look as you'd like. There's also a forest rally stage, which pits both new and old rally cars against one another.
Professional drivers from all over the world and a few very lucky journalists get to drive the cars, including the gang at Auto Trader. You can drive too, as on 30 June the Moving Motor Show takes place, where you can get behind the wheel of various cars.
Aside from the incredible cars on show, there's plenty to do and see. There are guest appearances by fast jets, military vehicles and hot rods, as well as a number of stalls to visit. Either way, it's a brilliant day out for every petrolhead in the family. Tickets are on sale now or you can enter our competition for your chance to win.
