Apart from Nigel Mansell, other F1World Drivers’ Champions in attendance were Sir Jackie Stewart, Jenson
Button, Mika Hakkinen and Damon Hill, together with a number of multiple Le Mans winners including Tom
Kristensen, Jacky Ickx, Emanuele Pirro, Henri Pescarolo, Derek Bell, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Klaus Ludwig,
Romain Dumas and Benoit Treluyer. Major luminaries from the world of motorcycling included Kevin
Schwantz, Mick Doohan, Kenny Roberts, Dani Pedrosa and the “daddy” of them all, the legendary Giacomo
Agostini, who had celebrated his 80th birthday a few days before the event.
The main focal point of the event is always the sculpture on the lawn fronting Goodwood House, which for
2022 celebrated the 50th anniversary of BMWs legendary M division, with a Gerry Judah creation
encompassing the history and future of the division. The soaring white arcs carried five M division cars
through the years, comprising of the 3.0 CSL “Batmobile”, an M1 Procar, an E30 series M3, a M1 and the
first showing outside of BMW of the LMDh prototype in a special 50th anniversary camouflage livery, a car
which is planned to make its race debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2023. There was also a special class
for M series models in the hillclimb schedule, which apart from the models already mentioned also featured
the 1999 Le Mans winning V12 LMR, BMW V12 engined McLaren F1 GTRs, a Z4 GT3 and a Group 5 320
Turbo, to name but a few. Examples of the McLaren F1 also formed a class, Murray’s Masterpiece”, in the
Cartier Style et Luxe Concours.
A further major celebration was the 75th anniversary of Ferrari, with an expansive entry list, which ranged
from the factory built re-creation of the 1947 125 S model, through to a 458 GTE EVO as raced at le Mans
this year. Along the way there were many iconic models, including F1 cars, sports racing and GT cars, with
examples of both the pontoon-fender 250 Testa Rossa and 250 GTO amongst their number. There were
also current production and limited edition track-only models in the Supercar run, including a 599 XX, a FXX
K EVO, an 812 Competizione, a Monza SP2, a client’s one-off SP38, plus two examples of the latest
model in the Icona series, the Daytona SP3. There was also the 166 MM Barchetta driven by Sally
Mason-Styrron, which was the first car to go up the hill in her hands at the very first Festival of Speed in
June 1993. As if this wasn’t enough for fans of the Cavallino Rampante, there were also two Ferrari classes
in the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours, one of which was for front engine classic models, which included a
250 Europa, a one-off Michelotti bodied 330 GT, a 250 GT TdF Berlinetta, and a 500 Superfast. The second
class comprised of the full range of supercars, namely a GTO (288), F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari. There
was also a Dino 206 GT in the Centre-Piece class.
The action entertainment spanned the main hillclimb, the rally stage, the off-road course and the action
sports arena, whilst Jaguar entertained passengers on their own track with passenger rides in tyre smoking
F-Types, as did even more so the drift car action on the track in front of Goodwood House. Apart from all
the various types of action in these localities there was the previously mentioned more gentile Cartier Style
et Luxe Concours d’Elegance, the Future Lab presented by Randox, the First Glance display by Heycar
featuring a variety of concept cars, Electric Avenue presented by Pulse, whilst BMW had their own electric
models display in the stable yard. Then high in the sky there was the always spectacular Red Arrows
aerobatic display team, plus a Bonhams auction, live music stages, all the various manufacturers’ stands,
including McLaren with their new Artura and Rolls Royce with a display of Black Badge Ghost models and
of course the always popular expansive vendor areas. The younger generation were also well catered for
with the Thakeham Family Enclosure, where children had a wide variety of activities to enjoy, including
using full size mechanical excavators in a treasure hunt. Porsche also catered for young children in its
Experience Centre, with a play area and a colouring wall.
2022 saw a new record claimed for the fastest time up the hill, with the diminutive McMurtry Spéirling (Irish
for thunderstorm) driven by Max Chilton. This electric powered car looks like a cross between a mini
Batmobile and a sports prototype, and features a 60kWh battery pack powering the electric rear axle, but
unlike most electric cars this one isn’t silent. The noise it emits is a deep roar from the twin fans that
generate 2000kgs of downforce from stationary, whilst the weight of the car is less than 1000kgs, resulting
in a sub 2secs 0-60mph time and a top speed of over 200mph. Max Chilton piloted the mini projectile up the
hill in a record breaking time of 39.08secs, which eclipsed the previous record of 41.6secs by 2.52secs,
which was set by Nick Heidfeld in a McLaren MP4/13 23 years ago in 1999.
For those fortunate enough to be one of the circa 1600 guests at the gala dinner on the Saturday evening,
there was a spectacular post dinner firework display, which was followed by music from the rock band “The
Darkness” and then a discotheque for those who had the stamina to party into the early hours!
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