More than 134,000 people attended September’s Goodwood Revival meeting – an event record – and once again few could argue that it was anything but spectacular. On track, Red Bull F1 chief technical officer Adrian Newey piloted his hot Jaguar Lightw eight E-type to victory in the headlining RAC TT Celebration alongside multiple Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal, 14sec ahead of last year’s TT-winning Ferrari 330 LMB steered by Bobby Verdon-Roe and Emanuele Pirro.
Minis were everywhere this year, in celebration of the car’s 50th anniversary – perhaps a little too prominent – inc luding a Mini-only St Mary’s Trophy. Le Mans Corvette star Oliver Gavin triumphed with Nick Swift (of Swi ftune fame), from Mini legends Rauno Aaltonen and Peter Baldwin in second and third. Actor Rowan Atkinson also gave the first (and last) live Mr Bean performance, steering his lime green Mini from an armchair on the roof as part of a 50-car parade of Minis and Mini specials including rarities such as the Quasar Unipower, Minisprint and Dart.
The other big celebration was Sir Stirling Moss’s 80th birthday. Moss himself drove legendary cars from his career around the circuit: including the Rob Walker Lotus 18 in which he won the 1961 Monaco GP. While Goodwood also managed a major coup, encouraging Mercedes-Benz to exhibit ‘722’, Moss’s 1955 Mille Miglia winning 300 SLR – the priceless car is normally incarcerated at the firm’s museum for its own protection.
Other highlights included Vulcan bomber flypasts, Buzz Aldrin arriving by Huey helicopter and of course mini skirts!
Words: Mike Goodbun
