Motorhome Hire for Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the greatest celebration of motorsport and car culture in the world. Held annually in the grounds of Goodwood House near Chichester in West Sussex, it brings together historic racing cars, modern supercars, Formula 1 machinery, rally legends, and motorcycle heroes in a setting that is uniquely, gloriously British. From our depot at Heath's Motorhome Hire in Pontefract, Goodwood is approximately four and a half hours south via the M1 and A3 - a longer drive, but one that delivers you to an event unlike anything else on the calendar.

The centrepiece of the Festival of Speed is the hillclimb. A 1.16-mile course winds through the parkland of the Goodwood Estate, and over the four days of the festival, hundreds of cars and motorcycles attack it at competitive speed. The entry list reads like a museum catalogue come to life - pre-war Bentleys and Bugattis alongside modern Formula 1 cars, Group B rally monsters, Le Mans prototypes, NASCAR stock cars, and everything in between. The cars are not roped off behind barriers in a static display: they are driven hard, inches from the spectators, by drivers who include current F1 stars, Le Mans winners, and legendary names from motorsport history.

Beyond the hillclimb, the festival is a vast celebration of automotive culture. The supercar paddock displays the latest and most exotic machinery from manufacturers around the world. The rally stage recreates classic forest stages in the estate grounds. The drifting arena sends tyre smoke billowing across the crowds. The Future Lab showcases electric and autonomous vehicles. The First Glance paddock reveals cars that have never been seen by the public before. The aviation displays overhead - Spitfires, Typhoons, and Red Arrows - add a dimension that makes the whole event feel like a particularly spectacular national celebration.

For car enthusiasts, the access at Goodwood is what sets it apart. The paddocks are open, meaning you can walk among Formula 1 cars, examine Le Mans prototypes up close, chat with mechanics, and occasionally find yourself standing next to a driver whose poster was on your bedroom wall twenty years ago. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, and deeply knowledgeable. Goodwood attracts people who genuinely love cars and motorsport, and the conversations you overhear in the paddock are as entertaining as the action on the hill.

A motorhome is an excellent way to attend the Festival of Speed. The event runs from Thursday to Sunday, and camping on or near the estate allows you to experience the full programme without the daily drive through the Sussex lanes. Goodwood offers over-night camping options for ticket holders, with motorhome-specific areas available. Details and booking for camping are handled through the Goodwood website alongside ticket sales. Sites in the surrounding area - near Chichester, Bognor Regis, and the South Downs - also provide motorhome pitches within a short drive of the estate.

The drive from Pontefract follows the M1 south to the M25, then the A3 through Surrey to the A27 near Chichester. Allow five to six hours on arrival day to account for event traffic in the final miles. The roads around the Goodwood Estate become very busy on Friday and Saturday mornings, so arriving the evening before is strongly recommended. If you are camping on site, gates typically open from Wednesday evening for motorhomes, giving you time to settle in before the action begins on Thursday.

The Goodwood Estate and its surroundings offer excellent additional touring. Chichester, a beautiful cathedral city, is a few minutes from the estate and has outstanding independent shops, restaurants, and the Minerva Theatre. The South Downs National Park stretches along the ridge behind Goodwood, offering walking and cycling with views to the sea. West Wittering beach, one of the finest sandy beaches on the south coast, is twenty minutes away. If you are making the journey from Yorkshire, extending your trip by a few days to explore the Sussex coast and the South Downs makes excellent use of the motorhome.

The Goodwood Revival, held in September on the Goodwood Motor Circuit a mile from the house, is the Festival of Speed's sibling event - a period-dress celebration of 1940s, 50s, and 60s motor racing that is equally spectacular and even more atmospheric. If one Goodwood event is not enough, you could plan two motorhome trips to Sussex in a single year.

The Festival of Speed is an event that appeals to anyone with even a passing interest in cars, speed, and engineering excellence. Attending in a motorhome from Heath's lets you immerse yourself fully in the weekend without the compromise of a long daily commute or the expense of a Sussex hotel during one of the busiest weekends in the local calendar.