Attending the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed felt like stepping into a parallel universe, it was my first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and to put it simply, it was one of the most unreal experiences I’ve had as a motorsport fan.
The event has a reputation for being something special, but nothing quite prepares you for the scale, the access, or the sound. It’s one thing seeing these cars online, it’s another thing seeing them fly up the hill climb or seeing them slide past on the rally stage.
Spread across the sprawling Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, the Festival isn’t just a motorsport event, it’s a pilgrimage. More than 210,000 people pass through its gates each year, and for good reason. The iconic hill climb may be the centrepiece, but there’s so much more around it, the paddocks, the rally stage, the enthusiasts, it all adds to the atmosphere.
This year also marked 75 years of Formula 1, and the anniversary brought out names that shaped the sport. Seeing Damon Hill and Alain Prost take to the hill in cars from their glory days was a standout moment. It’s not often you get to see legends of the sport in the flesh but in their cars from their glory days is just another level!
A Festival of Rarity
Among the machines on display, one in particular stopped me in my tracks: a customer-owned Bugatti Divo. Just 40 of these exist worldwide, and this wasn’t a demo car. It was a real one, and it was taken up the hill a number of times over the weekend. The car had a full team of engineers and mechanics to prepare it for its runs, and as soon as it would return it was hooked up to carbon fibre fans to stop the beats from overheating just like a F1 car.
Seeing that is what makes you realize why the Goodwood festival of speed is so special. At most events, you’d be lucky to see cars like that under soft lighting in a showroom. At Goodwood they’re being pushed to their limits up the hill right Infront of your unbelieving eyes!
The Soundtrack of Speed
Some machines just leave a mark and for me, the Pagani Huayra R Evo delivered possibly the most unforgettable sound of the weekend. Its naturally aspirated V12 was completely and utterly ridiculous. You don’t just hear it, it cuts through you and causes your ears to ring. I caught it first in the supercar paddock where they were attempting to start it up, after a few turns I knew it was coming but it didn’t stop me from getting a fright when it screamed to life. Pagani calls their work “automotive art”, and after hearing that car I cannot disagree.
There were other cars that stood out to me:
- The McLaren W1,was an awesome one to see given that its Mclarens new flagship.
- The Ferrari F80, I was so excited for but literally sounded like a vacuum cleaner, very disappointed
- The Porsche 956, a Group C icon wrapped In a Rothmans livery that looked like it had just come out of the tunnel at Le Mans.
- And then, a real personal highlight: the Porsche 918K (completely ridiculous I still don’t even know how I saw that car) and the legendary Porsche GT1 which is probably one of the coolest cars ever made and I don’t care what anyone says, the 996’s headlights are cool because they are on a gt1
A Tribute to Colin McRae
This year’s Festival also carved out space to honour one of rallying’s greatest icons: Colin McRae.
The tribute to McRae was a powerful reminder of just how much one driver can shape a generation. From the moment his Subaru Impreza 555 came rumbling down the hill, you could feel the mood shift.
McRae wasn’t just a rally driver he changed how people thought about rally driving. He brought a level of commitment and flair that made him unforgettable. The Festival’s recognition of his legacy through the cars he drove and the footage shown was one of the deeper moments of the weekend.
Ending on a high: The Rally Stage
I only made it to the rally stage toward the end of Goodwood Friday, and I’m glad I saved it for last. After the polished runs of the hill climb, heading into the woods where engines echo and dust hangs in the air felt like stepping into another chapter of motorsport entirely.
The Audi Quattro absolutely owned the atmosphere. Every gear shift brought a bark, every downshift a violent crackle. It wasn’t just loud it was raw, stripped of modern filter. I literally felt like a child on Christmas, I know I’ve said it a few times already, but it was ridiculous, completely and utterly, ridiculous.
And then, Travis Pastrana.
In true Pastrana fashion, he arrived drifting his Subaru WRX sideways past me. Such an amazing experience
The Magic of Goodwood
There’s a reason people come back to Goodwood year after year. It’s not just for the cars, although they’re world-class. It’s for the access, the energy, the history still being made in real time.
Nowhere else can you casually pass a prototype hypercar, a Le Mans winner, then a rally legend all in the same hour. It’s unheard of.
Goodwood FOS 2025 was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had, never before have I experienced anything quite like it in my life. For anyone who loves motorsport, it is a necessity and something that has to be seen to be believed!
