From Friday 17 to Sunday 19 September, the 2021 Goodwood Revival celebrated the engineering expertise, camaraderie and resourcefulness of previous generations. After a year away due to the pandemic, spectators, mechanics and competitors flocked to the West Sussex countryside to create this magical step back in time, with every one of the 50 000 visitors each day playing their role in honouring motoring traditions.
The devotedly maintained and nurtured pre-1966 vintage cars – still running as they were intended to half a century later – took to Goodwood Motor Circuit for 15 races across the event. The competitive action started on Friday evening with 30 closed-cockpit GT cars from the 1950s and 1960s racing into the sunset for the Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy. Equally memorable was the John Whitmore Trophy on Saturday which featured 10 winning drivers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as champions from across motor sport, vying wheel-to-wheel in Mini Coopers. On Sunday, the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration entertained the crowds as the drivers and cars contended with mixed track conditions as well as each other. Most poignant of all were the daily tributes to Sir Stirling Moss, which saw around 60 cars from his incredible career gather to honour one of the sport’s most emblematic figures.
The Goodwood Revival is more than the legendary machines and iconic heroes that grace the circuit; the nostalgic carnival atmosphere off-track captures the imagination of all who attend. Visitors both young and old are immersed in the lifestyle of previous generations and encouraged to experience the revive and thrive mindset of our predecessors. New to the event this year was the “make do and mend” area and the Dig for Victory allotment at Woodcote, embodying the essence of Goodwood. The evocative outfits, in varying colours, styles and fabrics, created an unparalleled scene witnessed nowhere else in the motor sport world.
The Duke of Richmond brought this year’s proceedings to a close on Sunday evening hosting the prize-giving ceremony from the Race Control balcony. To mark the spirit of the event and all those who participate, Rolex rewarded the Driver of the Meeting with an Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41. Taking the honours this year was Phil Keen following victory in the Whitsun Trophy and admirable performances in a number of other races.
ABOUT THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL
The Goodwood Revival is the world’s greatest historic motor race meeting, and the only sporting event of its kind to be staged entirely in a period theme. More than just an unrivalled weekend of historic racing, it is a whimsical step back in time; an immersive celebration of a less disposable world, where “make do and mend” was a way of life rather than a casual slogan.
The Revival is, at its heart, a celebration of craftsmanship and sustainability, from an age when possessions were made to last and be cherished. It promotes a thoroughly modern ethos – to “reduce, reuse, repair, restore and recycle” – in the most authentic way possible. All the cars are original, having been lovingly maintained since new, many of the outfits have been handed down through generations, and even the retailers specialise in pre-owned artefacts – everything from clothes and accessories to automobilia and books. It is the world’s biggest and most glamorous second-hand event.