The Races

The cars and motorcycles making up each starting grid at the Goodwood Revival are carefully selected from the most authentic historic racers. Many will have raced at Goodwood in the circuit's heyday, and all capture the essence of bygone motor racing right down to the finest detail.

Each year, around 360 cars and motorcycles compete in 16 different races. Entry is by invitation only from the Earl of March. Please refer to FAQs for details on how to put forward your vehicle for consideration. Not all of the races are staged each year and the eligibility for others may change in any given year, so the racing always promises something fresh. The race names have historical reference, matching those used during the circuit's heyday. Below is a brief guide:

For Monopostos

Goodwood Trophy

In Goodwood's heyday, especially in the circuit’s earliest years, this race was for older (essentially pre-war) single seater racing cars, although the trophy was also used for sports cars. At the Revival, it is a race for Grand Prix and Formule Libre single seaters of a type that raced between 1930 and 1948, namely Alfa Romeo Tipo B (P3) and ‘Alfetta’; BRM V16; Bugatti Type 54 and 59; ERA; Maserati 4CM, 6CM and 4CLT; Alta and Talbot Lago. When staged alongside the Woodcote Cup (below) the Goodwood Trophy caters for the earlier (usually pre-1948) cars.

Woodcote Cup
In Goodwood's heyday, this was a race for pre-war and historic single seater racing cars, much like the Goodwood Trophy. Sometimes, the race also catered for sports cars. At the Revival, it is a race for pre-1955 Grand Prix, Formula 2 and Formule Libre single seaters. When staged alongside the Goodwood Trophy (above) the Woodcote Cup caters for the later (usually post-1948) cars.

Richmond Trophy

Named after the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, the Richmond Formula 1 race was traditionally for contemporary F1 cars. It was often billed as the Richmond F1 Race for the Glover Trophy. At the Revival, the Richmond Trophy is for front-engined Formula 1 cars of a type that raced between 1950 and 1960.  It offers exciting racing between such legendary cars as the Maserati 250F; Lancia D50; Ferrari 212, 500 and 246 Dino; Aston Martin DBR4; BRM Type 25; Connaught and Cooper-Bristol.

Gordon Trophy

Also named after the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, the Gordon Trophy was occasionally used for single-seater races at Goodwood.  At the Revival, the race is for rear-engined grand prix cars of a type that raced in the late 1950s and up to the introduction of the 1.5-litre category in 1961. The race caters for such cars as Cooper-Climax T43, T45 and T51; plus Lotus 18 and 21; as well as cars from the likes of BRM, Gilbey, JBW, LDS and Scarab

Richmond and Gordon Trophies

Sometimes the two races above have been combined to form one grid for Formula One cars of a type that raced between 1954 and 1961. On these occasions the Richmond Trophy is awarded to the first front-engined car to finish and the Gordon Trophy goes to the first rear-engined car.

Richmond and Gordon Trophies

Sometimes the two races above have been combined to form one grid for Formula One cars of a type that raced between 1954 and 1961. On these occasions the Richmond Trophy is awarded to the first front-engined car to finish and the Gordon Trophy goes to the first rear-engined car.

Glover Trophy

In Goodwood's heyday, this was the trophy presented to the winner of the Richmond Formula 1 race, which was for contemporary F1 machinery. At the Revival, this is a race for post-1961 Formula 1 and Formula 1-based Tasman cars. This usually means cars from the 1.5-litre era of 1961-1965 such as ATS, Brabham, BRM, Cooper, Lola, Lotus and Scirocco. However, in 1999 the race catered for 'wingless' 3-litre cars of a type that raced between 1966 and 1969.

Earl of March Trophy

In Goodwood’s heyday, this was a race for the most junior single-seater cars, namely motorcycle-engined 500cc F3 cars. These were the karts of their day, and legends such as Stirling Moss, Ken Tyrrell and John Cooper began their motor sport careers in this category. Whenever this race is staged at the Revival, tradition is strictly adhered to with a competition for 500cc and Formula 3 cars of a type that raced between 1948 and 1959. Coopers dominate the field, interspersed with Kieft, JBS, Martin, Emeryson, Trenberth and others. Power is provided by JAP, Norton, Triumph, BMW and Vincent

Chichester Cup

In Goodwood's heyday, this was a race for Formula Juniors, which were a leap on from 500cc cars and, for serious young racers, a stepping stone to Formula One, much in the way Formula Ford and F3 have been more recently. At the Revival, this continues to be a race for Formula Juniors (up to 1100cc), with the specific regulations varying from year to year. Races are run on a three-year cycle, catering in turn for the earliest front-engined cars (1957-1960), the last rear-engined cars with disc brakes (1961-1963), and for drum-braked rear-engined cars from the intermediate years (1958-1961).

Brooklands Trophy

Although there was never a race called the Brooklands Trophy in Goodwood’s heyday, it was not unusual to see pre-war cars competing at the circuit in club racing and very early ‘historic’ events.  At the Goodwood Revival, this race features
thundering cars of a type that raced at the famous banked circuit prior to 1939.  The grid comprises mainly exotic larger-capacity racing cars such as leviathan Bentley Specials, Alfa Romeo 8C Monza and Bugatti Type 35, as well as Maserati 26M, Mercedes-Benz SSK and Delage.  Goodwood has a long-standing connection with Brooklands.  The present Earl of March’s grandfather, Freddie March, was a keen competitor at Brooklands and won the famous Double Twelve race.  After WW2 racing was no longer possible at Brooklands, and in opening the Goodwood circuit Freddie March’s aim was to revive the original Brooklands spirit (a notion that was repeated when Lord March revived the Goodwood circuit in 1998).  The Brooklands Automobile Racing Club became the British Automobile Racing Club and Goodwood was its new home – even Brooklands’ gates adorned Goodwood circuit for a while.

FOR SPORTS AND GT CARS

Freddie March Memorial Trophy
Named in honour of the 9th Duke of Richmond and Gordon, who founded the circuit, this is a race for sports cars in the spirit of the famous Goodwood Nine Hours races staged between 1952 and 1955. This is usually a 12-lap sprint race, although 2002 saw a special 90-minute endurance race into the dusk to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Nine Hours race. Expect to see some epic dices between Alfa Romeo 3000CM, Allard, Aston Martin DB2 and DB3S, Cooper-Jaguar, Ferrari, Frazer Nash, HWM, Jaguar C-type, Lotus, Maserati A6GCS and a host of British specials

Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration race

In Goodwood's heyday, the Tourist Trophy was a three-hour endurance race for World Championship sports cars, and later for GT cars. This race evolved from the Nine Hours race, and was one of the showpiece occasions of the Goodwood season. At the Revival, this is the main race on Sunday afternoon: a one-hour, two-driver challenge for closed-cockpit GT cars (1960-1964), featuring some of the most famous names in motor sport in around £30million of exotic cars. Drivers to have raced include Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Damon Hill, Phil Hill, Danny Sullivan, Alan Jones, Derek Bell, Allan McNish, Johnny Herbert, Gerhard Berger, Martin Brundle, Jochen Mass, Emanuele Pirro, Patrick Tambay, René Arnoux, Henri Pescarolo and many others. They compete in such finery as Ferrari 250GT SWBs, 250GTOs and 330LMBs, Jaguar E-type Lightweights and Low-Drag cars, AC Cobras and Shelby Daytonas, Aston Martin DB4GT Zagatos and the famous Project cars, plus Chevrolet Corvette Sting Rays, and Sunbeam Lister Tigers. This event has been described by one publication as 'the greatest motor race in the world'.

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