The Goodwood Festival of Speed, a summer spectacular set in the grounds of the famous Goodwood House in West Sussex this year hosted its largest ever celebration of MotoGP, in recognition of the recent 1000th FIM Grand Prix, before 2024 sees the 75th anniversary since the very first World Championship in 1949.
The Festival of Speed has a rich history of celebrating the world of Motorcycle racing, with the very first edition, thirty years ago, seeing the motorcycle entry curated by none other than seven-time world champion John Surtees.
The Festival of Speed, held annually in the UK, attracts a wealth of talented riders and a host of manufacturers eager to display historic and contemporary machinery to the huge crowds, and worldwide viewers on the livestream. Ducati Lenovo, GasGas Factory Racing Tech3, LCR Honda and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were all in attendance, with a roster of riders reading much like a who’s who of legendary names in motorcycle racing, Mick Doohan, Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner and Francesco Bagnaia.
Alongside the MotoGP celebration, a diverse assembly of other motorcycles, included the Norton CS1, BSA Goldstar, Bimota Tesi H2 and Norton V4CR.
The 2022 Festival of Speed saw Wainey Rainey once again ride his championship winning YZR, for the first time since his tragic accident, with a guard of honor provided by Kenny Roberts, Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz. It is these special moments, and pairings of famed bikes and riders that make for such a memorable spectacle. This year Schwantz, riding the very RGV500 which 30 years ago saw him winning the World championship, and two time MotoGP champion Casey Stoner climbing back on his 2008 championship winning Ducati, marked two notable appearances.
The 1.17 mile long Goodwood Hillclimb ordinarily offers a great opportunity for riders to stretch their legs on such a short course, with fast sweeping turns and well proportioned straights. However, the weather was less than compliant over the course of the event, with heavy rain on Friday causing significantly wet running. Saturday was beset by more profound problems, with storm force winds forecast for the duration of the day, the organizers were forced to cancel the entire day. With a number of temporary structures erected, and a course lined with trees, the warnings of wind were too severe to risk any injury or damage. A tough decision to make, and no doubt a very costly one to Goodwood, but ultimately the right call to make.
Fortunately Sunday offered sunshine and dry conditions throughout the day, albeit with a stiff breeze, but the dry asphalt finally delivered conditions to reward the perseverance of those who had endured the weather earlier in the weekend. Burnouts, wheelies and high speed demos up the hillclimb course proved to be just the tonic to round off the weekend.
In the words of The Duke of Richmond, founder and host of the Goodwood Festival of Speed: “I am absolutely thrilled that the Festival of Speed will host its biggest ever MotoGP celebration this year… It means so much to everyone at Goodwood and all our fans, that they will be here to celebrate with us.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, the CEO of Dorna, noted that “The 2023 Festival of Speed is the perfect opportunity to celebrate both the rich heritage of the sport, and the heroes of the incredible spectacle we’re enjoying every weekend in this modern era.”
Managing to assemble no less than 50 Motorcycle Grand Prix bikes is no mean feat, and the diverse array on display, ranging from the 1947 AJS Porcupine, through to the 2023 Ducati Desmodedici GP23 proved to be a fine showcase of the rich tapestry of MotoGP History. A superb display, refusing to be thwarted by the best attempts of the British summertime weather, with yet more moments to be treasured forever, as has become customary at the supreme Festival of Speed.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2023 Gallery
