Goodwood Revival 2018 celebrates twenty years of vintage racing 08.08.2018: Next month’s Goodwood Revival Meeting marks 20 years since competitive racing returned to the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, with 150,000 visitors gathering to appreciate the tradition of the racing car and its legendary

Next month’s Goodwood Revival Meeting marks 20 years since competitive racing returned to the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, with 150,000 visitors gathering to appreciate the tradition of the racing car and its legendary drivers.



From Friday 7 to Sunday 9 September, Goodwood will rewind the clock for one of the world’s most popular motor sport events, honouring motoring heritage of days gone by.


Rolex has a long-standing appreciation for the beauty of classic cars having supported Goodwood Revival since 2004 when the brand became Title Sponsor of the prestigious Drivers’ Club.


 
Held in a picturesque corner of Southern England, the three-day event will see cars and motorcycles from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s parade and compete at the iconic track.



Style will take centre stage alongside wheel-to-wheel racing, as passionate fans from all corners of the globe flock to Goodwood Revival dressed entirely in glamourous vintage fashion – emulating the original spectacle in all its glory.


A collection of the world’s most desirable vehicles will line up on display for all to admire, before being put to the test on the track. As part of Goodwood Revival’s 20th anniversary celebrations, the pits will be themed to hark back to early 1950s Silverstone, in honour of the Northamptonshire circuit’s 70th anniversary, while the Revival Winners parade will assemble 50 renowned and victorious race cars from the past two decades.


 
The 2018 edition of the Revival comprises 14 races, with the action starting on Friday evening when the Kinrara Trophy sees a stunning array of pre-1963 GT cars race into the sunset.



The Fordwater Trophy is set to be a particularly memorable feature of this year’s event, with a number of Jaguar XK120s taking part to mark the 70th anniversary of the manufacturer’s illustrious sports car.



 A returning highlight, that promises to be as entertaining as ever, will be the St Mary’s Trophy, the two-part race contested by professional and amateur drivers. Speed, performance and precision will all be fundamental to success at the event, as the Rolex clock on the Marshal Tower provides drivers with a visual reminder that timing is of the utmost importance.


 
2009 FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion Jenson Button will make his Goodwood Revival debut for the JD Classics team, as he joins a long list of motor sport stars who have graced the track, including Rolex Testimonees Sir Jackie Stewart and Tom Kristensen, David Coulthard, Jean Alesi, Derek Bell and Dario Franchitti.




The drivers will all be vying to stand out from the rest of the field in their bid to claim the highly coveted Rolex Driver of the Meeting award – the winner of which will be announced by the Duke of Richmond at Sunday evening’s prize-giving ceremony.


 
Reflecting on Goodwood’s role at the heart of motor sport, Rolex Testimonee and three-time FIA Formula 1® Drivers’ World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart said: “I was first invited to drive at Goodwood Motor Circuit by Ken Tyrrell in 1964, to find out whether I had what it took to be a racing driver; it proved to be an instrumental moment in my life and led to three World Championships.



 I have since been fortunate enough to see Goodwood Revival evolve into one of the greatest events of its kind. For 20 years it has celebrated the most beautiful cars that have ever been built and it takes me back to the early days of my racing career.”



The Scottish legend, who is celebrating his own special anniversary this year as he marks 50 years as part of the Rolex family, continued: “Rolex’s close ties with the Revival demonstrate a shared passion for style and beauty as well as a quest to preserve and learn from the past. The partnership underlines the Swiss watch brand’s commitment to motor sport as a whole.”


 



Virginie Chevailler, Grace Mennem- photos Goodwood and Rolex