2001 Goodwood Festival of Speed

6-8 July 2001: The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual event held at Goodwood House near Arundel in the south of England. It is perhaps the only place in the world where you might find (a replica of) an 1803 steam wagon (right) and also a current Formula One Grand prix car.

Left: The 1911 Marmon Wasp which won the first Indy 500 (Indianapolis) aided by an innovative rear view mirror which meant that a riding mechanic was not needed (to warn of overtaking cars).

The 1932 Miller FWD is an old four wheel drive favourite.

Left: A 1985 Renault Formula One car from the 1.5 litre turbo charged era.

Right: A 1997 Ferrari Formula One car. Michael Schumacher won the Monaco and Belgian Grand Prix in it that year; there were several Ferraris, including a 7-litre V12 `712' Can-Am car from 1969.

Left: Victorious Audis from the 2000 and 2001 Le Mans 24-hour races.

The old Goodwood motor racing track is not up to running races for modern top-level cars, so the notional competitive event of the Festival of Speed is a hill climb on what is basically the driveway to Goodwood House - narrow and winding. Some drivers do make this very competitive indeed, despite the narrow road, stone wall(!) and straw bales, the best suited cars being rally cars, whose drivers ham it up, and classic sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s.

The real appeal of the event however is in the truly friendly atmosphere and the possibility to touch a current Formula One car (BAR Honda, Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes, Williams BMW, Benetton Renault, Jaguar Ford, Minardi), or a classic car from as early as 1901, see the drivers getting ready, get an autograph, chat with the mechanics... 7/2001 © Larry Stanley

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