Tag: motorsport

Sting Energy Hits The Track With Formula 1

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Sting Energy, a PepsiCo electrifying energy drink, has officially entered the fast-paced world of Formula 1 as its Official Energy Drink Partner. This official partnership, sparked by authentic fan curiosity even before the official reveal, began as a viral sound-driven moment and has since grown into a dynamic collaboration — racing from the track to screens worldwide.

In a sport like Formula 1, where fans obsess over every detail, Sting Energy tapped into the most iconic and visceral element of the experience: sound. On May 23, 2025, world-renowned DJ and producer Armin van Buuren posted a video unveiling a surprising discovery – the sound of “Stinggg” echoing through the roar of an F1 engine. While isolating audio layers from a race recording, Armin noticed an uncanny resemblance between the engine’s pitch and the sonic builds in his music. The post piqued global curiosity, as fans, creators, and even F1 icons joined the conversation. And with that, Sting Energy surfaced. Not as a familiar face in Formula 1, but as a bold new force ready to make its mark.

Joining the wave of excitement were Formula 1 legend Jenson Button and 2025 F2 Monaco Grand Prix winner Kush Maini, who amplified the moment with energized reactions – captivated by the sonic connection between Sting Energy and the roar of Formula 1. Their involvement added credibility to what many had dismissed as coincidence, showing it was something much more deliberate.

Without any official announcement or clear branding, people started to wonder quietly: could Sting Energy have been part of Formula 1 all along? The frenzy reached its peak at the Monaco Grand Prix, where F1 fans and influencers from around the world were seen recording the races – reacting in real-time as Sting Energy’s now unmistakable sonic signature revealed itself within the raw, high-octane roar of the track.

Making the discovery, world renowned DJ and record producer, Armin van Buuren said, “As a longtime F1 fan, I was revisiting some engine sounds in the studio when one frequency stood out, it almost sounded like ‘Sting.’ At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but the more I listened, the more melodic it became. It’s a great reminder that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places – even a car racing down the track.”

Jenson Button, 2009 F1 World Champion driver added, “I’ve spent my entire life around Formula 1 – from the garage to the podium, and everywhere in between – and I thought I’d experienced every nuance the sport had to offer. But, when Armin played that engine clip and pointed out what he heard, I was genuinely surprised. I played it back and… There it was. ‘Sting.’ Clear as day. It’s strange, but also kind of brilliant – how something so familiar can hide in plain sight for so long. Once you hear it, you can’t ignore it.”

Commenting on the roar, Vandita Pandey, VP Marketing at PepsiCo, International Beverages, Energy, said, “Sometimes the most powerful brand moments aren’t manufactured – they’re discovered. This wasn’t just about launching a campaign; it was about listening to culture and amplifying what fans already felt. This partnership is more than regular sponsorship, it’s sonic alignment. Sting Energy didn’t just join Formula 1, it revealed it had always been there, embedded in the thrill, hidden in the sound; and now, the world knows. The brand officially takes its place on track with a future of vigorous fan experiences ahead.”

Jonny Haworth, Director of Commercial Partnerships, Formula 1, said, “Formula 1 has always been about more than just speed – it’s about emotion, energy, and the sensory experience that comes with every race. This partnership with Sting Energy taps into that energy in a fresh, creative way. It’s a celebration of the power of sound, and how culture and sport continue to collide in exciting new ways.”

With this partnership, Sting Energy will now supercharge fan experiences across 21 races– through immersive brand experiences, co-branded products, on-pack promotions, and digital storytelling.

Breaking away from the traditional sponsorship route, Sting Energy approached this collaboration in a way only it can – by tapping into the power of sound. In a sport where audio is emotion, physics, and adrenaline all at once, Sting Energy transformed a shared sensory experience into an unmissable brand moment. As part of the partnership, Sting Energy will now supercharge fan experiences across 21 races – through immersive brand activations, co-branded products, on-pack promotions, and digital storytelling.

PepsiCo, today, announced the groundbreaking multi-year global partnership with Sting Energy as the Official Energy Drink of Formula 1.

Goodwood Revival To Celebrate Jim Clark’s Life And Career

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Goodwood is honoured to announce that this year’s Revival will celebrate the extraordinary life and career of Jim Clark – the Scottish farmer who is widely regarded as the most naturally gifted driver of all time.

2025 marks the 60th anniversary of Clark’s greatest season – indeed, arguably the greatest season by any driver in history. As well as winning six Grands Prix en route to his second World Championship, he also became the first driver to win the Indy 500 in a rear-engined car, and the first to do so at an average speed of more than 150mph. He remains the only driver to win the F1 World Championship and Indy 500 in the same season. Not only that, but he won the Tasman Cup (a single-seater series in Australia and New Zealand, run during the European winter and contested by the leading F1 teams and drivers), the French and British Formula 2 Championships, and races in everything from touring cars to sports prototypes.

Alongside these achievements, Jim Clark also won the final Formula 1 race at Goodwood, on Easter Monday 1965. This Saturday (19 April) marks the 60th anniversary, to the day, of that race, during which Clark, in a Lotus 25, also shared the lap record of 1m20.4 with his fellow Scot Jackie Stewart, in a BRM P261. Their joint time was never beaten, before the circuit closed to racing in July 1966, and so stands in perpetuity as the classic Goodwood lap record. Remarkably, on the same day he won the Sunday Mirror Trophy Formula 1 race, Clark also won the St Marys Trophy (a round of the British Saloon Car Championship) in a Lotus Cortina, and the Lavant Cup sports prototype race in a Lotus 30! His driving that day epitomised the virtuosity and versatility he exhibited across the whole season.

Jim Clark, who tragically died in an accident during a Formula 2 race at Hockenheim on 7 April 1968, ended his career with a then-record 25 victories and 33 pole positions from just 72 Grands Prix. Even now, six decades later, he still holds the record for the most ‘Grand Slams’ in Formula 1, when a driver takes pole position, victory, fastest lap, and leads every lap. Clark’s record of eight is two more than his nearest rival, Lewis Hamilton, whose score of six has come from 361 races!

Despite his extraordinary achievements as a driver, Jim Clark remained a humble farmer at heart, and liked nothing more than spending time on his farm, Edington Mains, near the village of Chirnside in the Scottish Borders, where he grew up. Even as he was winning World Championships and the Indy 500, and appearing on the cover of Time Magazine (as he did after his Indy win in 1965), he would return to Edington between races.

We look forward to celebrating all aspects of the remarkable achievements and legacy of Jim Clark – “farmer and world champion motor racing driver”, as the inscription on his gravestone reads – which, to this day, remain at the heart of motorsport at Goodwood.

Sir Jackie Stewart, three-time World Champion and joint Goodwood lap record holder said: “Jim Clark was not only a first-class racer, but he was a first-class friend. Jimmy and I enjoyed so much camaraderie both on and off the track and I am personally so pleased that Goodwood are choosing to celebrate this great man in this way”.

Dario Franchitti, four-time IndyCar Champion and three-time Indy 500 winner, said: “As a fellow Scot, Jim Clark has always been an inspiration to me, and following in his footsteps at the Indianapolis 500 was the highlight of my career. I have had the honour of driving a number of his cars over the years, and am proud to be a patron of the Jim Clark Trust. I’m looking forward to joining Goodwood in celebrating the life and achievements of a true legend of our sport and will also be attending the Jim Clark Trust event at Duns Castle in June.”

The Duke of Richmond CBE DL said: “It’s such a privilege to celebrate Jim Clark at the Goodwood Revival this year. His achievements in 1965 are the stuff of legend, including uniquely winning the Formula 1 World Championship and Indy 500 in the same season. I vividly remember watching him win the final F1 race at Goodwood, on Easter Monday 1965, in which he and Jackie Stewart set the ultimate Goodwood lap record. Having such strong links to Goodwood, and in a year that marks several significant anniversaries, we are hugely proud to be paying tribute to Jim Clark – considered by some to be the greatest driver of all time– over the Revival weekend.”

Doug Niven, Jim Clark’s cousin, and a family trustee of the Jim Clark Trust, said: “The Jim Clark Trust is delighted to support the Jim Clark tribute at the Goodwood Revival in September. Along with my fellow family trustee Ian Calder (Jim’s nephew) I attended the Revival in 2013, when the Duke of Richmond formally launched the Jim Clark Trust – of which he is still a patron. 1965 was such a special year for Jim, and we look forward to celebrating his life and career at Goodwood in September, as well as at our own event, at Duns Castle on 28-29 June.”

Tom Hartley Jnr Ltd Appointed For Sale Of Bernie Ecclestone’s Extraordinary Collection Of Historic Grand Prix And Formula 1 Cars

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Tom Hartley Jnr Ltd, one of the world’s most respected and exclusive high-end dealers in classic and historic sports cars and racing cars, has been selected by Bernie Ecclestone in respect of the sale of his extraordinary collection of historic Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars.

Ecclestone, 94, was for decades the commercial rights holder of Formula 1, and was therefore the man who made it the global sporting powerhouse that it is today. It is fair to say that his collection of 69 historic Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars is the finest ever to have been assembled, and it is certainly the most impressive ever to have been offered for sale.

Each and every one of Ecclestone’s 69 cars is unique, having been stored away from the public gaze, in some cases for more than half a century. Many of the cars have never been seen since Ecclestone purchased them. Highlights are Ferraris raced in Formula 1 Grands Prix by legendary World Champions such as Mike Hawthorn, Niki Lauda, and Michael Schumacher, and Brabhams raced in Formula 1 Grands Prix by aces such as Nelson Piquet, Carlos Pace, and, again, Niki Lauda, among them the one-off Brabham-Alfa Romeo BT46B ‘fan car’, which raced only once, victoriously, to win the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp in 1978 by more than half a minute.

Bernie Ecclestone said: “I have been collecting these cars for more than 50 years, and I have only ever bought the best of any example. Whilst many other collectors over the years have opted for sports cars, my passion has always been for Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars.

“A Grand Prix and in particular a Formula 1 car is far more important than any road car or other form of race car, as it is the pinnacle of the sport, and all the cars I have bought over the years have fantastic race histories and are rare works of art.

“I love all of my cars but the time has come for me to start thinking about what will happen to them should I no longer be here, and that is why I have decided to sell them. After collecting and owning them for so long, I would like to know where they have gone and not leave them for my wife to deal with should I not be around.

“Tom [Hartley Jnr] is handling the sale for me because he knows the cars better than anyone else, his business is best placed to sell them, and I am guaranteed transparency which is important to me.

“Having collected what are the best and most original Formula 1 cars dating back to the start of the sport, I have now decided to move them on to new homes that will treat them as I have and look after them as precious works of art.”

Tom Hartley Jnr commented: “This is quite simply the most important race car collection in the world. There has never been and probably never will be a collection like it ever offered for sale again. The collection spans 70 years of Grand Prix and Formula 1 racing, and highlights include Mike Hawthorn, Niki Lauda, and Michael Schumacher World Championship-winning Ferraris, all of Bernie’s [Ecclestone] Brabhams including the famous ‘fan car’, and the Vanwall VW10, the car in which the great Stirling Moss won several Formula 1 Grands Prix on the way to Vanwall clinching the first ever Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship in 1958, plus so much more.

“But, for me, the highlight of the collection has to be the Ferraris. Bernie has assembled a collection of Ferrari Formula 1 cars that today would be near-impossible to repeat. There is the famous Thin Wall Special, which was the first Ferrari to ever beat Alfa Romeo, the Alberto Ascari Italian Grand Prix-winning 375 F1, the Mike Hawthorn World Championship-winning Dino which Ferrari campaigned over three seasons before it was donated to the Henry Ford Museum, plus historically significant World Championship-winning Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher cars.

“Because Bernie has retained ownership of the Brabhams since they were new, and many of those cars have not been seen for decades, people can forget quite how special a team Brabham was. Brabham scored 22 Formula 1 Grand Prix wins, 24 Formula 1 Grand Prix pole positions, 25 Formula 1 Grand Prix fastest laps, and two Formula 1 World Championships under Bernie’s tenure. The team was also very innovative, fitting carbon brakes to its cars in the 1970s, and was the first to introduce in-race refuelling. Bernie was also the person who gave a young South African engineer named Gordon Murray a job – and other big names in motorsport such as Charlie Whiting and Herbie Blash were part of the Brabham boys.

“I feel very privileged that Bernie has entrusted the sale of his cars to my Tom Hartley Jnr business. Formula 1 cars are cars that I know particularly well, they are not just cars that I have a great personal interest in, but we at Tom Hartley Jnr actively buy and sell them, too. However, there has never been a collection like this one offered for sale, and no one in the world has a race car collection that comes close to Bernie’s. This a great opportunity for a discerning collector to acquire cars that have never before been offered for sale, and it would be great to see them back on the track again.

“All of the cars on the Formula 1 grid today look the same. If you stripped them of their liveries, you’d struggle to know which one was a Williams and which was a Ferrari. But when you look at some of the Grand Prix cars from the early 1960s to the late 1970s, they’d very much be at home in The Museum of Modern Art.”

“This collection is the history of Formula 1.”

Bengal Speed Festival 2024

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Bengal Speed Festival 2024 put the industrial town of Haldia on India’s motorsports map as automobile enthusiasts, motorsports fans, and local residents made up a 5,000 strong crowd to witness the thrilling autocross action during the 2-3 November weekend.

This was the fifth year of the National Autocross Championship qualifier with other supporting 4W Autocross being held in Haldia which witnessed a neck-to-neck competition amongst the top drivers of the eastern zone.

With the support of Shrachi Sports as Title Sponsor, this event got a great boost. Other sponsors such as Vamcy Merla, Haldia Municipality and Haldia Development Authority among many other organizations also extended their patronage to make this event a grand success.

The event was a combination of 4Wheeler Autocross and East Zone Qualifier of Indian National Autocross Championship 2024. The total number of entries registered for the event was a staggering 146 amongst which there were two lady participants.

In 4W Indian National Autocross Championship Qualifier, Karan Chaudhury clocked the best timing of the event with 1 minute 56.337 seconds followed by Saujatya Kole, Areeb Rahman, Nilanjan Banerjee and Uday Ganguly.

Saujatya Kole registered the fastest time with 1 minute 37.636 seconds in Open Autocross followed by Karan Chaudhury, Raunak Jana, Uday Ganguly and Sourabh Choudhury.

Speaking on the occasion, Saurav Chatterjee & Sk. Ajgar Ali, the main organisers of this event explained that autocross is not only about raw speed; one has to match that with driving acumen and physical stamina as well. They also added that the aim of the event is to woo the youth away from road racing to regulated motorsports, where safety of the drivers is of paramount importance.

The goal of FMSCI, the apex body of Indian Motorsports, is to identify young budding talents from the regional zones and thus Bengal Speed Festival 2024 is a big step forward to the eminent goal.

Calcutta Motor Sports Club and Kolkata Automotive Sports Association along with Motor Sports Association of Eastern India, the organising motorsports clubs of Bengal Speed Festival 2024 shall together be the guiding force of raw talents in the near future.

Photographs by Ranadip Mandal

First Sketches Of Škoda Enyaq RS Race Concept Unveiled

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With the new Enyaq RS Race concept study, Škoda Auto is exploring new sustainability possibilities in motorsports while further enhancing the brand’s emotional appeal. Raising Škoda’s motorsport DNA to the next level, the Enyaq RS Race features an aggressive design highlighted by a massive rear wing. This concept offers insights into how motorsport technology can help accelerate the shift towards a dynamic and sustainable automotive future. It also serves as an ideal platform for the development and rigorous testing of cutting-edge electric technologies for future battery-electric production vehicles.

Michal Hrabánek, Head of Škoda Motorsport, explains: “Sustainability is a cornerstone of Škoda Motorsport’s strategy. As early as 2021, we ventured into the realm of electric rally cars with the Škoda Fabia RE-X1. The insights and expertise we gained from this have fed into the unique new Škoda Enyaq RS Race. This fascinating car proves that motorsport, which is deeply embedded in Škoda’s DNA, not only enhances the brand’s emotional impact but also contributes valuable experiences and technologies to upcoming Škoda road models.”

Powerful concept study based on the Enyaq Coupé RS
The Enyaq RS Race is based on the Škoda Enyaq Coupé vRS. Equipped with all-wheel drive, the new Škoda Enyaq RS Race demonstrates the broad scope of possibilities the Volkswagen Group’s Modular electric drive matrix offers in terms of performance. With its aggressive design, the Enyaq RS Race is also a real eye-catcher, underlining its strong connection to racing and motorsport. Its broad base ensures even more stable handling, while the prominent rear wing provides the necessary downforce. The aim of the study is to gain practical knowledge through specific technical and design modifications of high-performance electric vehicles. These approaches could potentially be implemented in future production models.

Daniel Petr, Senior Designer at Škoda Auto adds: “The Škoda Enyaq RS Race is not a design study that will just remain on paper; it is going to be a real car. It will be lower, wider, lighter and most importantly more dynamic. So, it was clear from the start that the design had to be aggressive with strong racing DNA. Looking at the aerodynamics, we actually designed it similar to the current Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. It has a sharply sculpted nose, dramatically widened fenders and a massive rear wing. It looks fast, even on paper, and that’s always a good start.”

From gaming to the rally tracks, Škoda promotes sustainability in motorsport
The Enyaq RS Race represents another innovative battery-electric concept study from Škoda Motorsport, following the recently presented Škoda Vision GT. Introduced in 2021, the Škoda Fabia RE-X1 was built on the chassis of the Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo and equipped with an 860-volt electric motor delivering a peak output of 260 kW. The homologation by the Austrian Motorsport Association AMF (ÖAMTC) enabled the Baumschlager Rallye&Racing team to compete in the Austrian Rally Championship. With the Vision GT, Škoda recently took an entirely different approach: The spectacular, all-electric single-seater was exclusively designed for the Gran Turismo 7 PlayStation game. The concept study, inspired by the 1100 OHC Spider from 1957, expands Škoda’s presence in the digital racing world.

All these concept vehicles underscore Škoda’s commitment to advancing sustainability within motorsport. The Fabia Rally2 already runs on 100% sustainable fossil-free fuel in the WRC2, providing an ideal testbed for evaluating the technical viability, resilience, and durability of new electromobility innovations under extreme conditions.

Donington Park Roars Into Life This May

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Donington Park roars into life on 4 and 5 May when hundreds of superb historic racing cars descend for the Donington Historic Festival, one of the highlights of the classic motorsport calendar.

This family-friendly event showcases everything from Touring Cars from the 1960s, 70s and 80s and stunning 1950s and 60s sportscars, GT cars and sports-racers to venerable pre-War sportscars – some more than 100 years old in a jam packed timetable. There are even three races dedicated to Ferraris. And, despite the age and rarity of the cars, the highly competitive drivers don’t hold back, the resulting high-octane track battles delighting the crowds of spectators. Each day of DHF 2024 offers its own unique blend of world-class classic motor racing, and many of the races are two-driver, so require pit stops and driver changes, which only adds to the excitement!

The track action isn’t confined to the racing. This year the Festival celebrates the 100th anniversary of Bentley’s first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with lunchtime track displays of significant historic racing machines from the iconic marque – including 2003 Speed 8 chassis 004/1 and 2000 EXP Speed 8 Le Mans GT prototype chassis 002/1. Also at lunchtime, 100 classic and collectors’ cars from the nearly 60 car clubs displaying at the event will parade round the Donington Park circuit. On the Saturday these will be led by a group of Ferraris, followed by a contingent of Honda NSXs which are paying tribute to Formula One legend Ayrton Senna and, on the Sunday, a group of classic Ford Mustangs will proudly lead the club parade, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the world’s first ‘pony car’. There’s even action in the sky, with flypasts from a Spitfire and Hurricane from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight each afternoon.

Off-track there’s plenty to do and see at the 2024 Donington Historic Festival. 2003 Le Mans-winning Bentley driver Guy Smith – who is also racing at the event – will take part in a Q&A session alongside Howden Haynes, Data Engineer for Team Bentley during their 2001-2003 Le Mans campaign, giving the audience the lowdown on Bentley’s return to the epic endurance race after a gap of 70 years. And Touring Car fans can find out more about the world of Touring Cars, with Q&A sessions with 2012 World Touring Car Champion and 2020 Scandinavian Touring Car Champion Rob Huff and Colin Turkington, BMW’s most successful racing car driver of all time and four-times British Touring Car Champion. Both Colin and Rob will also be racing at the weekend – the calibre of drivers at the Donington Historic Festival matches that of the priceless racing cars!

Festival-goers can also explore the open-access race Paddock and get up close to all the racing cars and the historic Bentley competition car display, grab some video of amazing engine noises and bag a selfie with their favourite machine. While there, they can also check out the Mustang 60th anniversary display, shop at the trade stands, visit the British Historic Kart Club’s display and raise money for charity by taking a Dream Ride on local roads in one of the classic and supercars that the Sporting Bears Motor Club is bringing along. Visitors can also take a pitlane walk and visit the car club displays in the Infield and on the Melbourne Hairpin and chat to the owners about their much-loved vehicles.

The Festival is also hosting an art exhibition, featuring the work of some of Britain’s leading motoring and motorsport artists. And there’s a display of memorabilia from the Donington Park archive – plus visitors can meet ‘Old Tom’, a 92-year-old steam oller which worked on the construction of the original Donington Park track!

Goodwood To Celebrate Formula 1 Champion Niki Lauda

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Goodwood is proud to announce that three-time Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda will be celebrated with a special on-track demonstration at the 81st Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport.

2024 will mark several significant anniversaries for Lauda, including 50 years since his first Grand Prix victory in the 1974 Spanish Grand Prix, 40 years since his third and final World Championship, and 75 years since the Formula 1 Champion’s birth, this coming Thursday, 22 February.

Taking place across the weekend, the Goodwood Motor Circuit will welcome Lauda’s 1985 Dutch Grand Prix-winning McLaren MP4/2B for an on-track moment to honour the acclaimed driver. The demonstration will put the McLaren MP4/2B in the spotlight, in tribute to one of the greatest Formula 1 World Champions.

Niki Lauda is remembered as one of the true icons of motorsport, and one of the most intelligent and mentally resilient drivers ever to set foot in a racing car. In a Formula 1 career that ran from 1971-85, during which he won 25 Grands Prix and three World Championships, he recovered from a near-fatal accident at the Nurburgring in 1976, abruptly retired in 1979 saying he was “tired of driving round in circles”, and made a successful comeback three years later, culminating in his final World Championship in 1984.

After taking his final victory at the Dutch Grand Prix in 1985 (beating none other than Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna into second and third!), he retired from driving to focus on Lauda Air (the airline business he had founded after his first retirement in 1979), but later returned to Formula 1, first as an advisor for Ferrari, then as Jaguar’s team principal, and finally as Non-Executive Chairman of the Mercedes-AMG Formula One Team. It was in the latter role that he was instrumental in persuading Lewis Hamilton to switch from McLaren, heralding a period of unprecedented dominance for team and driver.

As part of a continued celebration for Lauda at Goodwood’s headline motorsport events this year, the legendary driver will also be honoured at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, with various cars from across his racing career taking to the Goodwood Hill.

The Duke of Richmond said: “It’s a privilege to be honouring Niki Lauda at this year’s Members’ Meeting and Festival of Speed. The word ‘Icon’ is overused, but Niki was certainly that. He achieved incredible success in everything he did, from driving to team management, and even running an airline, and always on his own terms. It was a pleasure to welcome him to Goodwood, including the final time in 2017, when he joined us for our tribute to his friend Bernie Ecclestone. He was straight talking and irreverent, but also intelligent, charming and funny, and is much-missed by all who knew him. This year’s special moments will pay tribute to his outstanding racing career and celebrate his influence and enduring legacy across the world of motorsport.”

Taking place across the weekend, the Niki Lauda celebration joins alongside the previously announced Can-Am demonstration, competitive sidecar Shoot-Out and full race schedule for the 81st Members’ Meeting.

Goodwood Revival To Celebrate The Legendary John Surtees

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Goodwood is proud to announce that the exceptional career of John Surtees – to this day the only person to win World Championships on two and four wheels – will be celebrated at this year’s Goodwood Revival, taking place over the weekend of 6-8 September.

2024 marks 60 years since Surtees won his Formula 1 World Championship, and would have seen the eight-time World Champion celebrate his 90th birthday, this coming Sunday, 11 February.

Reflecting a truly extraordinary motorsport career – which included seven motorcycle World Championships between 1956 and 1960, the 1964 Formula 1 World Championship, and the 1966 Can-Am Championship – the tribute to John Surtees will include everything from 250cc, 350cc and 500cc motorcycles to Grand Prix winners, unlimited sports cars and GTs. In April, the 81st Members’ Meeting will assemble an incredible array of Can-Am cars, Surtees having won the inaugural championship with his eponymous team in 1966.

John Surtees is a key figure in the annals of Goodwood’s unique motorsport history. It was at Goodwood that he tested a car for the first time, in 1959. The following year, it was here that he made his four-wheeled debut in a Formula Junior Cooper, racing for Ken Tyrrell, at the 39th Members’ Meeting in March 1960, finishing a close second to none other than Jim Clark.

That 1960 season was remarkable. Having taken part in his first race on four wheels in March, he made his F1 debut in May, scored his first podium with second place at the British Grand Prix in July, and his first pole position at the Portuguese Grand Prix in August! All while fitting in around his two-wheeled commitments, where he won the 350cc and 500cc World Championships for MV Agusta!

In 1993, Surtees became a Patron of the very first Festival of Speed, utilising his extensive contacts to organise the motorcycle classes for the event and riding his 1952 Vincent up the Hill. Returning to race at the early Goodwood Revivals, ‘Big John’ entertained a new generation of Goodwood motorsport fans, as fiercely competitive in the RAC TT Celebration as he had been on the Circuit during its heyday.

Shortly after his passing in March 2017, the 75th Members’ Meeting paid a moving tribute to Surtees, on the anniversary to the day of that first race in 1960, with a minute’s noise reverberating through the paddocks and The Duke of Richmond leading a commemorative lap in a Team Surtees Lola T70.

We now look forward to honouring the remarkable achievements of an enormously talented driver and rider, as well as the life and legacy of a great friend of Goodwood.

Doug Nye, motorsport historian, co-founder of the Festival of Speed and friend of Goodwood, said: “John Surtees was simply unique. Despite having spent my entire adult life amongst such ultra-competitive racers as Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart and many more, he was the most competitive personality of them all! He won motorcycling World titles seven times, and the Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship once. On a motorcycle he was magic to watch, just man and machine merged into one – while in a car he took no prisoners yet was still visibly a master – a total perfectionist. From first sampling a racing car at Goodwood in 1959-60 he became one of our first Festival of Speed Patrons in 1993. He was – on two wheels and four – a total star.”

The Duke of Richmond, said: “As an eight-time World Champion and the only man to achieve the honour on both two and four wheels, John Surtees was not only a huge figure in the history of the Goodwood motor circuit, but also played a big part in the establishment of our modern events. Along with Stirling Moss, John was a Patron of the Festival of Speed and was deeply involved from the very beginning. More than anything, he was an exceptional racer and a great friend.”

Taking place across the weekend, the Surtees tribute will join the full race schedule which is set to run exclusively on sustainable fuels.