Goodwood Circuit – Revival, Festival of Speed & British Motorsport Guide
Originally published February 2019. Last updated September 2026: expanded Tier B circuit guide, facts table, table of contents, internal links, FAQ schema, and editorial refresh while preserving legacy narrative and images.
Goodwood Circuit is a 3.862 km (2.4-mile) road course on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester, West Sussex, and one of Britain’s most photographed historic racing venues. Freddie March opened the track in September 1948 on former RAF Westhampnett perimeter roads; it hosted non-championship Formula One, the RAC Tourist Trophy, and the Goodwood 9 Hours before closing in 1966. Today the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival keep the name at the centre of global historic motorsport.
The circuit matters because it links pre-war hillclimb tradition, post-war Grand Prix stars, and Lord March’s modern revival culture. Compare Goodwood with Donington Park, Brands Hatch, and Silverstone — four British venues that split inter-war history, club racing, and modern world championships across different eras.
Contents
Goodwood Circuit facts
| Location | Goodwood Estate, Chichester, West Sussex, England (near Goodwood House) |
|---|---|
| Circuit type | Permanent road course on former airfield perimeter roads |
| Opened | 18 September 1948 (first meeting) |
| Length | 3.862 km (2.4 miles), seven turns on the original layout |
| Racing ceased | August 1966 (circuit retained for testing; closed to competition) |
| Modern events | Goodwood Revival (since 1998), Festival of Speed (since 1993), Members’ Meeting |
| Historic headline races | Glover Trophy (Richmond Trophy), RAC Tourist Trophy, Goodwood 9 Hours |
| Notable lap reference | 1:20.4 — shared by Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart on the original circuit |
| Operator | Goodwood Estate (Duke of Richmond family) |
Lap record note: Revival cars run to historic specifications on a layout with a start/finish chicane. Compare lap times only within the same event class and configuration.
Map: Goodwood Circuit track layout
Built on RAF Westhampnett
The 9th Duke of Richmond (Freddie March, 1904–1989) opened a hillclimb beside Goodwood House in 1936. During the Second World War, RAF Westhampnett occupied the estate. After the war, Australian fighter pilot Tony Gaze suggested the airfield perimeter would suit racing.
Freddie March opened Goodwood Circuit on 18 September 1948, driving his Bristol 400 around the new layout for an estimated 15,000 spectators. The first race winners included Paul de Ferranti Pycroft (Junior Car Club event), Reg Parnell (Goodwood Trophy in a Maserati 4CLT), and Stirling Moss in the 500 cc Cooper class.
The first meeting at Goodwood Circuit in September 1948
Non-championship Formula 1 until 1965
The spring Richmond Trophy debuted in 1949 and later became the Glover Trophy. From 1949 to 1965, Goodwood regularly hosted non-championship Formula One alongside sports cars and Formula Three while the British Grand Prix rotated between Silverstone, Aintree, and Brands Hatch.
Reg Parnell dominated early seasons with five consecutive feature wins; later victors included Prince Bira, Giuseppe Farina, Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, and Jim Clark.
Early grid at Goodwood Circuit
The 1962 Glover Trophy ended Sir Stirling Moss’s racing career. On pole in a Lotus-Climax, he crashed on lap 37 and sustained injuries that kept him from returning to top-level competition.
Goodwood 9 Hours and RAC Tourist Trophy
The Goodwood 9 Hours ran three times (1952, 1953, 1955). Aston Martin won all three editions with crews including Peter Collins, Reg Parnell, and Peter Walker.
Aston Martin won all three Goodwood 9 Hours races
From 1958 to 1964, Goodwood hosted the RAC Tourist Trophy, twice closing the World Sportscar Championship (1958 and 1959). Moss and Tony Brooks won the first TT in an Aston Martin DBR1/300; Moss added further victories in Ferrari 250 GT machinery before Graham Hill won the final championship round in 1964 in a Ferrari 330 P.
Grid for the 1959 RAC Tourist Trophy
The 1964 RAC Tourist Trophy was the last World Sportscar Championship event at Goodwood
Closed to racing in August 1966
The World Sportscar Championship did not return in 1965. Goodwood held one more non-championship F1 race and several sports-car meetings in 1966, then closed in August because the family refused to add chicanes to slow cars to sanctioning-body requirements.
Bruce McLaren fatality during testing
The track remained open for testing. On 2 June 1970, Bruce McLaren died when his McLaren M8D Can-Am car lost bodywork on Lavant Straight and hit a bunker. A memorial garden honours him on the estate.
Bruce McLaren memorial garden
Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival
Lord March (11th Duke of Richmond) launched the Festival of Speed in 1993 on the hillclimb when circuit racing permits were still unavailable. In September 1998, the inaugural Goodwood Revival returned competition to the original track for cars and motorcycles built between 1948 and 1966, with a start/finish chicane as the main layout change.
The first Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1993
Sir Stirling Moss and Lord March
Visiting Goodwood
Major events sell out months ahead. The estate sits south of the A27 near Chichester with rail links through Chichester and London. Check Goodwood’s official site for Revival and Festival of Speed ticket windows, camping, and hospitality.
Frequently asked questions about Goodwood Circuit
Where is Goodwood Circuit?
Goodwood Circuit is on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester, West Sussex, England, adjacent to Goodwood House. The motor circuit uses perimeter roads from the former RAF Westhampnett airfield.
When did Goodwood Circuit open?
Freddie March, the 9th Duke of Richmond, opened the circuit on 18 September 1948. The first meeting drew about 15,000 spectators.
How long is Goodwood Circuit?
The original racing layout measures 3.862 km (2.4 miles) with seven turns. Goodwood Revival adds a start/finish chicane to the historic configuration.
Why did Goodwood stop hosting races in 1966?
The estate closed the circuit in August 1966 because owners refused to install chicanes to reduce speeds to sanctioning-body requirements.
What is the Goodwood Revival?
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day historic race meeting launched in 1998. Cars and motorcycles must be from the 1948–1966 period that raced at Goodwood in period.
What is the Goodwood Festival of Speed?
Lord March founded the Festival of Speed in 1993 on the estate hillclimb. It celebrates road and race cars with timed runs up the hill and manufacturer displays.
Did Formula One race at Goodwood?
Yes, but only as non-championship Formula One from 1949 to 1965 (Glover Trophy and related events). The British Grand Prix was held elsewhere.
What was the Goodwood 9 Hours?
The Goodwood 9 Hours sports-car endurance race ran in 1952, 1953, and 1955. Aston Martin won all three editions.
Who died testing at Goodwood?
Bruce McLaren died on 2 June 1970 when his McLaren M8D Can-Am car crashed on Lavant Straight during a test session.
What is the fastest lap at Goodwood?
Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart share the historic reference of 1:20.4 on the original circuit. Revival lap times depend on car class and chicane layout.
Related reading
- Donington Park — Britain’s first permanent race circuit
- Brands Hatch — Kent road and Indy layouts
- Silverstone Circuit — British Grand Prix home
- Croft Circuit — North East England club racing
- Knockhill Racing Circuit — Scotland’s national track
Address: Goodwood Motor Circuit, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0PX, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1243 755055
Official website: goodwood.com