The Goodwood Home sits on an 11,000-acre property in West Sussex, England. In-built 1617, it’s been dwelling to the numerous Dukes of Richmond for over 400 years.
However for one weekend each summer time over the previous 33 years, hoards of automobiles have descended upon the property for one excellent cause: the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Picture by: Bentley
The Competition of Velocity was based in 1993 by Charles Gordon-Lennox, the eleventh Duke of Richmond—higher referred to as the Earl of March. His objective was to carry motorsport again to Goodwood after the close by Goodwood Circuit had stopped internet hosting main races.
As an alternative of reopening the circuit, although, he got here up with a good higher concept. Why not use the property’s 1.16-mile driveway as a hill climb? Pair it with a gathering of the world’s biggest vehicles on the entrance garden, and the Competition of Velocity was born.
Three many years later, it is turn into some of the necessary automotive occasions on the planet.
Welcome To Goodwood
Picture by: Bentley
This 12 months marked my fourth journey to the Competition of Velocity (FoS). Even with a relentless European warmth wave baking the showgoers, the 2026 occasion was each bit as thrilling as I had remembered.
The very first thing that strikes you is simply how a lot the pageant has grown. After I first attended again in 2018, it was already vastly standard, but it surely nonetheless felt manageable. At present, it rivals among the world’s greatest auto exhibits—Los Angeles, Geneva, and many others.
Each main automaker appears to have a presence now. Bentley confirmed off the brand new Continental Supersports at its expansive show, Lamborghini had the most recent Urus SE Performante on its stand, and dozens of different producers crammed the property with their latest equipment.
Even with a relentless European warmth wave baking the showgoers, the 2026 occasion was each bit as thrilling as I had remembered.
Chinese language automakers had their strongest displaying but. BYD’s show was unimaginable to overlook, whereas Denza and a number of other different manufacturers occupied giant sections of the showgrounds.
Past the producer stands, the paddocks had been filled with among the world’s most ridiculous hypercars. The Crimson Bull RB17, Hennessey Venom F5-M, Apollo IE, Gordon Murray T.50s Niki Lauda, and dozens of others drew crowds all through the weekend.
As spectacular because the static shows had been, although, the true soundtrack of Goodwood comes from past the garden.
Up, Up, Up The Hill
Picture by: Bentley
Regardless of attending the Competition of Velocity for years, I might by no means truly gone up the hill. Not as a driver. Not at the same time as a passenger. That lastly modified this 12 months.
My trip was Bentley’s Continental GTC Speed. The hybrid convertible produces 771 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, sufficient to succeed in 60 mph in 3.2 seconds earlier than topping out at 191 mph. Greater than sufficient oomph for a 1.16-mile dash.
Behind the wheel was André Gies, Bentley’s Automobile Dynamics Supervisor and an skilled GT3 racer who’s tackled the hill earlier than. He is aware of each bump, each braking level, and each part able to catching drivers out—particularly the notoriously unforgiving wall the place various costly vehicles have met an unlucky finish.
Even attending to the beginning line is an occasion unto itself.
Marshals information us out of the paddock and right into a parade of million-dollar exotics. We crawl via the middle of the pageant grounds whereas spectators movie, cheer, and inevitably ask drivers to rev their engines—which most fortunately do.
Even inside a $342,000 Bentley, although, it is laborious to not really feel just like the “regular” automobile within the lineup.
Regardless of attending the Competition of Velocity for years, I might by no means truly gone up the hill. Not as a driver. Not at the same time as a passenger. That lastly modified this 12 months.
A Ferrari F80 sits immediately forward of us. An Apollo IE is only some vehicles farther up. A Pagani Utopia waits off to 1 facet, whereas Koenigseggs, Lamborghinis, and extra Ferraris appear to seem from each route. At one level, we even spot Lightning McQueen making his means up the course forward of everybody else. Kachow!
Solely at Goodwood.
Ready at the beginning line feels surreal. Hypercars launch one after one other in clouds of tire smoke earlier than disappearing between the hay bales. Then, out of the blue, it is our flip.
I will be sincere: I wasn’t anticipating the hill climb to be all that intense. Watching from the sidelines or on TV, it appears to be like fast, certain. However on the finish of the day, you are driving up someone’s driveway lined with hay bales and spectators. How wild might it actually be?
The reply is: far wilder than it appears to be like.
My driver buries the throttle, and the Bentley explodes off the road towards the opening right-hander. The launch is violent, but it surely’s the primary nook that basically places that velocity into perspective. The partitions, the hay bales, and the bushes rush towards you a lot quicker than they ever seem on digital camera.
Via the sweeping opening part, my driver does his finest to entertain the group, trying to slip his means up a lot of the monitor (too dangerous he forgot to disengage ESC earlier than setting off).
Because the course narrows towards the again half of the hill, the problem is extra apparent. The notorious part squeezed between the stone wall and the hay bales is remarkably tight, leaving nearly no margin for error—particularly in a giant ol’ Bentley.
By the point we blast onto the ultimate straight and thru the previous few bends, it’s clear that the Goodwood Hillclimb is not any gimmick. It is a genuinely demanding piece of monitor that instructions respect. And after lastly experiencing it from contained in the automobile, it is easy to know why so many drivers depart somewhat paint behind annually.
With a lot of our world revolving round screens and smartphones, getting the possibility to expertise Goodwood in individual is an effective reminder of what these automobiles we love are all about. You’ll be able to hear the engines, you may contact the steel, you may watch them go up the hill, and should you’re fortunate, you would possibly even get on the monitor your self.
Movies don’t do it justice; you have to get your ass to Goodwood.
