Goodwood Revival

17th - 19th September 2021

Part One - The Event

One event I've been looking forward to photographing for some time is the Goodwood Revival. Cancelled last year due to the pandemic, this year's event was always going to be popular so acquiring tickets early was a must. 

If you are considering going next year a degree of forward planning is required; the Revival sold out quite quickly this year. As the Revival is a large event we have split the report into two sections.

This report will be about the event, looking at everything around the track and in part two the on-track racing action. 

The Goodwood Revival is unique in motorsports as it’s the only classic race event in the world that is held where the drivers, pit crew and even spectators are dressed in period correct clothing representing the 1940s through to the 1960s.

Why this time period is celebrated and racing is held at Goodwood today is mainly down to the legacy of 9th Duke of Richmond, Freddie March. A keen automotive, aeronautical and racing fan he had a passion for speed.

Once the Second World War was over he held race meetings on the then disused Royal Air Force airfield that had been built on his estate.

In 1948 the first meeting was held on the 2.37-mile race track with Freddie March opening the racing with a lap of his Bristol 400.

The Goodwood Circuit held many racing events, including Formula One, until 1966 when 9th Duke of Richmond decided that the race cars were outperforming the circuit and closed it. 

Fast forward to 1998 and 11th Duke of Richmond revived the racing at Goodwood by taking the 9th Duke's Bristol 400 out on track again. Today the Revival has grown from a classic race meeting to a national weekend event attended by a sell-out 150,000 crowd.

It’s not just race fans that go to Goodwood to enjoy the racing, there are a lot of people who go because it’s an event to experience and for some to be seen at.

Looking your best at Goodwood is encouraged. The dress code is not enforced but most get into the sprit of the occasion.

Dressing in everything from leather clad Rockers to English country squires, the crowd looked great and helped set the scene for the races to come.

Photographing the Goodwood Revival is one of a slack handful of motorsports events that every spectator photographer should shoot at one point in their lifetime.

Capturing the action on the track is similar to just about every other track in the UK, the one thing that is different is the drivers and riders. The entry list on the Saturday when we attended read like a who’s who of past and present racing.

Arriving early we were greeted by a trio of Spitfires conducting a short flying display in the morning sunlight which set the tone for the day, classy and graceful.

Getting into Goodwood itself was easy. Parking done, we joined the short queues and were in in no time. 

When I say in, we were into the "Over the road area" where the funfair, cinema and retail had been set up. This being Goodwood it wasn’t your standard automotive merchandise being sold.

No team tops here, it was more vintage clothes, flat hats and brogues. After a short look round we headed for the track.

There are two areas to take photos at Goodwood, the track which we will cover in Part Two and the Paddock. Entry to the Paddock requires you to dress correctly, jacket and tie or cravat and have the requisite pass, or you can just stride in like you own the place and start taking photos of the race car drivers. 

I've no idea how my shooting buddy got in as he was wearing hiking shoes, shorts and an odd hat. Maybe they thought he had come as one of the Von Trapp children from the Sound of Music!

Next year expect the team to be dressed correctly and have the correct pass. 

There are not just cars at Goodwood, the 9th Duke of Richmond Freddie March served in the Royal Air Force during World War 2 and his enthusiasm for all things airworthy continue to this day in an homage to him with an excellent display of aircraft. 

That just about covers what you can expect away from the track at the Revival. In part two of this report we will look at the racing action. Part Two - The Racing

Thanks to Matt form SFJ Media and RPW Photography for the images. You can see more of Matt's work by following the links below.