Goodwood has always been a place where time seems to bend. Each September the Duke of Richmond’s estate in West Sussex transforms into a mid-20th-century world of motor racing, fashion, aviation and theatre. The 2025 Goodwood Revival, held from 12–14 September, proved once again that no other motorsport event blends nostalgia and spectacle quite like it.
This year’s edition, however, was defined as much by the skies above as by the machinery below. The British weather delivered its full repertoire: Friday’s wind and rain lashed the paddocks, Saturday was a stop-start dance between showers and sunbursts, while Sunday finally rewarded the faithful with long spells of glorious warmth. Umbrellas, wellies and sunglasses were all essential kit. Yet, far from dampening the atmosphere, the elements heightened the drama.
A Farmer’s Son Remembered
The emotional heartbeat of the weekend was the tribute to Jim Clark, marking sixty years since his second Formula 1 world championship. Clark remains one of the sport’s most revered figures—an introverted farmer’s son from Duns who drove with a delicacy and bravery that few have ever matched.
The celebration began with a uniquely Goodwood twist: a flock of sheep parading the grid before the cars took to the track. It was a playful, affectionate nod to Clark’s agricultural roots, and it drew smiles.
Moments later the sheep made way for a parade of cars associated with Clark’s career—Lotus single-seaters, nimble saloons and GT machinery. As they circulated, the sun glinting off bodywork still wet from showers. It was poignant, atmospheric and entirely in keeping with the Revival’s ability to blend reverence with whimsy.
Racing Against the Weather
While the tributes stirred the heart, the racing thrilled the senses. The Revival never settles for gentle demonstration; the competition is fierce, the stakes real, and the machines pushed to the limits of their design.
The Freddie March Memorial Trophy set the tone on Friday evening. The 60-minute, two-driver endurance unfolded in fading light and drizzle. Jaguar C-Types and Aston Martin DB3Ss squirmed under braking, drivers balancing on the knife-edge between grip and disaster. Pitstops became frantic ballets, mechanics working at speed as wind whipped across the paddock.
Saturday brought the Whitsun Trophy, always a highlight for lovers of brute force. Lola T70s and McLarens thundered into the first corner, throwing up plumes of spray. The sheer violence of their acceleration on a greasy track left the crowd gasping; one moment the cars were sliding, the next they were streaking down the Lavant Straight in a cacophony of V8 thunder.
The Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy, run in two parts over the weekend, provided perhaps the most visceral demonstration of bravery. The sight of riders wrestling 1960s Grand Prix motorcycles on a rain-slick Goodwood surface left the crowd breathless. Spray hung in the air as Manx Nortons, MV Agustas and Matchless G50s snaked through the chicanes, riders crouched low, knees skimming puddles. When the sun finally broke through on Sunday’s deciding leg, the bikes glistened under the light, engines shrieking as the leaders fought bar-to-bar into Madgwick. It was a spectacle that combined danger, skill and theatre in equal measure, and a reminder that the Revival celebrates two wheels as passionately as four.
By Sunday, conditions improved. The Sussex Trophy was bathed in sunshine, the sleek curves of Lotus 15s and Lister-Jaguar Knobblies glowing against a blue sky. The cars danced through Madgwick with balletic precision, exhaust notes crackling across the Downs. It was historic racing at its most picturesque, proof that the Revival can deliver romance as well as rawness.
Elsewhere, the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy produced high drama. Mid-race rain turned Lavant into a skating rink, Ferraris and E-Types alike running wide as drivers fought for control. When the track dried, the closing laps became a sprint, cars trading places in a blur of colour and sound.
Every grid, from nimble motorcycles to pre-war single-seaters, carried its share of stories. Some races became tests of survival, others rolling exhibitions of beauty in motion—but all were underscored by the unpredictability of the weather.
Legends Behind the Wheel
Part of the Revival’s allure is the calibre of drivers who flock to it. In 2025 the entry list sparkled: Tom Kristensen, Dario Franchitti, Jenson Button, Scott Dixon, Tom Chilton, Rob Huff, Jake Hill, Derek Bell and Carlos Checa all swapped modern comfort for historic grit.
Kristensen’s mastery of the slippery Freddie March Memorial Trophy reminded fans why he is regarded as the greatest endurance driver of all time. Button, visibly relishing the occasion, drew huge cheers as he flung an E-Type sideways out of Lavant, catching the slide with a grin as broad as the grandstands. Franchitti, ever the enthusiast, chatted happily with fans in the paddock, his overalls spattered with mud after a rain-soaked run.
These star names added lustre, but what makes the Revival special is the way they line up alongside dedicated amateurs and gentleman racers. Together they create grids that feel authentic, diverse and fiercely competitive.
Heritage Meets Sustainability
Beyond the spectacle lay an achievement of genuine modern importance. For the second consecutive year, every race at the Revival ran entirely on sustainable fuel, comprising at least 70 per cent advanced renewable components.
The varied conditions provided the ultimate test, and the results were conclusive: whether in soaking rain or blazing sunshine, the cars performed flawlessly. They smelt the same, sounded the same, and raced just as hard—proving that sustainability need not dull authenticity.
In doing so, Goodwood has positioned itself not only as a guardian of history but as a pioneer for the future. It was a message that resonated throughout the weekend, quietly but firmly.
Off-Track Immersion
Of course, the Revival is more than a race meeting—it is a total immersion. The crowd once again embraced period dress, and despite the weather’s mischief, the paddocks and style stages were alive with colour. Tweeds, trilbies and tea dresses mingled with umbrellas and macs, the contrast somehow adding to the charm.
The Revival Style Stage, headlined by Dita Von Teese, drew large crowds whenever the rain paused. The Freddie March Spirit of Aviation displayed aircraft gleaming against stormy skies, their polished fuselages reflecting bursts of sunlight. The VE Day 80th anniversary commemorations brought wartime vehicles, flypasts and a street-party atmosphere to the grid, complete with music and dancing—umbrellas bobbing amongst the bunting.
The Bonhams Cars Auction was another highlight, with rare machinery commanding eye-watering sums. For many, simply wandering among the lots was treat enough, the smell of polish and the murmur of eager bidders lending the marquee its own electricity.
Everywhere, the Revival’s detail shone through. From period signage to authentic catering, from swing bands to wandering actors in RAF uniforms, the event once again blurred the line between theatre and reality.
A Weekend of Contrasts
In the end, it was the contrasts that defined the 2025 Goodwood Revival. Rain-soaked shoes and sun-warmed shoulders. Sheep on the grid and Ferraris in full song. V8 thunder shaking the Downs and the delicate hush of fashion parades. Nostalgia and innovation, side by side.
The weather may have been unpredictable, but the Revival’s magic was never in doubt. Each change in climate added texture, each ray of sunshine seemed to gild the memories all the more brightly.
For three days, Goodwood once again proved itself to be not just a race meeting, but a cultural event—a celebration of heritage, a showcase of sustainability, and a theatre of pure motorsport emotion.
As the final chequered flag fell on Sunday evening and the sun dipped low over the Sussex horizon, fans drifted away with damp coats, tired smiles and full hearts. The 2025 Revival had honoured a legend, embraced the elements, and reminded us why, in the world of historic racing, Goodwood stands alone.
