Once again the Goodwood Festival of Speed proved to be a celebration of spectacular launches, groundbreaking innovations, and an automotive culture that seamlessly bridges heritage and the future.
Originally launched in 1993 as a small gathering of enthusiasts racing their cars on the private estate of the Duke of Richmond, the Goodwood Festival of Speed (FOS) has since grown into one of the world’s largest automotive events. In 2026, the festival expanded even further, with Singer serving as the event’s official featured marque. Legendary drivers ranging from Valentino Rossi to Lando Norris thrilled hundreds of thousands of spectators along the 2.5-kilometre hill climb, delivering an unforgettable visual and acoustic spectacle. Here are the highlights of Goodwood FOS 2026.
The Central Sculpture Belonged to Singer
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Each year, one manufacturer is invited to install a temporary monument on the lawn in front of Goodwood House, the iconic centerpiece of the festival. This year, that honour went to Singer, the company renowned for reimagining classic Porsche models and quickly becoming a favourite among ultra-high-net-worth collectors.
Designed by acclaimed sculptor Gerry Judah, the installation showcased three Porsche 911s, each valued at well over one million dollars. Representing Singer’s Classic, Classic Turbo, and DLS restoration programs, the trio symbolised the brand’s extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship.
Kimi Antonelli Unveils the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG
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Current Formula 1 championship leader and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver Kimi Antonelli chose Goodwood FOS as the stage for the world debut of the new .
Producing 680 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds, the all-electric Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ attracted enormous attention throughout the festival.
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The Duke of Richmond, host of the event, joined Antonelli during Thursday’s unveiling ceremony.
The 1966 Le Mans-Winning Ford GT40 Trio Reunites
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One of the festival’s most extraordinary moments came with the reunion of the three Ford GT40s that famously secured a historic 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Miller Family Automobile Foundation recently acquired chassis P/1046, the outright winner of the 1966 race, from renowned collector Rob Kauffman. The Foundation had already acquired the second-place P/1015 in 1999 and the third-place P/1016 in 2018. With the addition of P/1046, all three cars are now united under the same ownership for the first time in modern history.
The Miller family aims to preserve these legendary machines, born from the vision of icons such as Carroll Shelby, while using them for research and educational initiatives focused on innovation.
Naturally, the three historic GT40s appeared together on the Goodwood hill climb, recreating their legendary Le Mans triumph in one of the festival’s most memorable tribute runs.
The World’s Fastest LEGO Car
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The sixth—and largest to date—entry in the LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept series is the Koenigsegg Sadair’s Spear Megacar, available as a highly detailed 1:8-scale model inspired by the real hypercar, of which only 30 examples exist, each producing 1,603 horsepower.
To celebrate the collaboration—and set a new record—LEGO and Koenigsegg chose Goodwood FOS 2026 as the perfect venue.
The full-size 1:1 LEGO Technic Koenigsegg Sadair’s Spear reached 111 km/h, more than doubling the previous LEGO vehicle speed record of 50 km/h and officially becoming the World’s Fastest Drivable LEGO Car.
Built by a team of 50 people over more than 9,400 hours, the car consists of 327,906 genuine LEGO Technic pieces, nearly all assembled by hand. Weighing approximately 1,800 kg, around 400 kg of that weight comes from LEGO elements, while propulsion is provided by an electric powertrain.
Doctor Rossi and Lando Norris Share the Goodwood Balcony
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One of the defining moments of Goodwood FOS 2026 was the appearance of Monster Energy athletes Valentino Rossi and Lando Norris together.
The reigning Formula 1 World Champion joined his childhood hero—the seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, affectionately known as “The Doctor”—on the balcony of Goodwood House for a live interview with thousands of fans gathered below.
The pair revealed that they would both be enthusiastic about racing together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while their appearances throughout the weekend consistently drew huge crowds.
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Rossi also delivered an emotional moment by riding his 2020 factory Yamaha YZR-M1, marking his first outing aboard the MotoGP machine since retiring from the championship at the end of the 2021 season.
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The Italian legend later climbed behind the wheel of the 1999 BMW V12 LMR Le Mans prototype, even giving spectators a brief scare with a dramatic spin.
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Lando Norris, meanwhile, took to the hill climb on Friday driving a 1996 Nissan Silvia S13 built in Liberty Walk style for drifting. After filling the course with tyre smoke, Norris jokingly admitted that he probably needed a little more practice.
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On Saturday, he returned to the hill climb in the McLaren MCL60 Formula 1 car, celebrating his championship together with thousands of cheering fans.
Lightning McQueen Takes to the Hill for the 20th Anniversary of Cars
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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Disney and Pixar’s beloved Cars franchise, Lightning McQueen became one of the biggest attractions at Goodwood FOS 2026.
The display featured a fully functional, full-scale replica of the film’s iconic protagonist, complete with its unmistakable bright-red #95 Rust-eze livery.
In keeping with the spirit of the films, McQueen’s official entry listed an impressive career record of 93 victories and seven Piston Cup championships.
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The original Piston Cup trophy used in the films also crossed the Atlantic to Goodwood, allowing children and lifelong fans to hold the legendary trophy and take photographs with it. Even the Duke of Richmond stopped by the stand on Friday to pose with the famous cup.
Several Formula 1 personalities—including Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti—visited the Americana paddock to meet one of their childhood heroes.
McQueen wasn’t confined to static display, either. Throughout all four days of the festival, the famous race car fired up its engine and completed runs along the iconic Goodwood hill climb.
Rather than attempting a flat-out qualifying lap with its fictional 750-horsepower engine, McQueen cruised around the course at a relaxed pace. The festival commentators joked that he simply “wanted to be friends with everyone” and had no intention of embarrassing the Formula 1 drivers—drawing plenty of laughter from spectators.
A Star-Studded Weekend
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As always, Goodwood FOS attracted an extraordinary collection of personalities from across motorsport and beyond.
Among the Formula 1 drivers in attendance were Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly, and Franco Colapinto, alongside team principals James Vowles (Williams) and Zak Brown (McLaren).
The festival also welcomed some of the greatest names in motorsport history, including Valentino Rossi (seven-time MotoGP World Champion), Sir Jackie Stewart (three-time Formula 1 World Champion), Damon Hill (1996 Formula 1 World Champion), Gerhard Berger (10-time Grand Prix winner), Tom Kristensen (nine-time Le Mans winner), Emanuele Pirro (five-time Le Mans winner), and John McGuinness, the legendary Isle of Man TT racer.
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Goodwood also hosted numerous celebrities from the worlds of film, television, fashion, and music, including Weruche Opia, Nicole Lecky, Jodie Kidd, and Stanley Tucci.
Stay Off the Grass!
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Few names are more closely associated with modern Gymkhana than Travis Pastrana, who arrived at Goodwood with the spectacular Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo, purpose-built for the film Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred.
Inspired by the 1978 Subaru Brat, the 670-horsepower machine was developed by Vermont SportsCar and features an active aerodynamic system that can be adjusted from inside the cockpit using traditional slider controls.
The significance of both Pastrana and the Brataroo also stems from their close connection to the late Ken Block, who tragically passed away in a snowmobile accident in 2023. Block became synonymous with Goodwood after famously ignoring officials’ requests in 2010 to stay off the grass, instead sending huge clouds of turf flying toward delighted spectators.
Pastrana has proudly continued that tradition.
Whether on tarmac or grass, he remains one of the festival’s biggest attractions. Back in 2022, driving the 1983 Subaru GL Wagon “Family Huckster,” he recorded a 46.2-second run, making it the fifth-fastest climb in Goodwood history at the time.
This year, behind the wheel of the new Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo, he completed the hill in 46.77 seconds, good enough for sixth place overall.
Formula 1 Cars Steal the Show
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There is arguably nowhere else in the world where fans can see so many Formula 1 cars—from virtually every era of the championship—running together in one place.
Goodwood once again lived up to its reputation, bringing together legendary Formula 1 machinery alongside some of the sport’s greatest drivers.
With this year’s theme, “The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels,” the festival celebrated some of the fiercest rivalries and greatest triumphs in Ferrari’s motorsport history. Iconic cars, including the 1970 Ferrari 312B, returned to the hill climb to recreate memorable moments from Formula 1’s golden years.
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One dramatic incident involved the priceless Lotus E20, the car that carried Kimi Räikkönen to his unforgettable victory at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Driven by Franco Colapinto, the Argentine driver of the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, the Lotus—wearing Alpine colours for the occasion—lost control while performing donuts at Molecomb Corner before sliding into the hay bales.
Although the incident sent dust and straw flying everywhere, neither the car nor the driver suffered any significant damage.
Ford Claims Overall Victory
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For competitors determined to prove themselves the fastest at Goodwood, the prestigious Shoot-Out remains the ultimate challenge.
The 1.86-kilometre hill climb rises approximately 57 metres from start to finish with an average gradient of around 5 percent, making it one of the most demanding sprint courses in motorsport.
The fastest driver of Goodwood FOS 2026 was Romain Dumas, fresh from setting a new record at Pikes Peak only weeks earlier.
Driving the all-electric Ford Super Mustang-E, Dumas stopped the clocks in 41.98 seconds.
Second place went to Dan Ticktum in the Jaguar Gen4 Formula E car, while Alex Summers claimed third—and the fastest time among internal combustion-powered machines—with the Shadow-Chevrolet DN4.
