Goodwood Motor Circuit
Goodwood Motor Circuit at a glance
- Location
- Chichester, West Sussex
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.862 km (2.4 mi)
- Turns
- 9
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1948
- Owner
- Goodwood Estate (Duke of Richmond)
- Phone
- +44 1243 755055
Track map and layout
Goodwood was laid out in 1948 on the perimeter road of RAF Westhampnett, a Battle of Britain-era fighter station, and its 2.4-mile, nine-turn lap has changed remarkably little since. Broad, fast corners such as Madgwick, Fordwater and St Mary's flow into one another with almost no run-off in period style, ending in a chicane before Woodcote that leads back onto the pit straight - a layout regarded as one of the most demanding and unforgiving in Britain precisely because it has not been modernised. Racing stopped there in 1966 when the circuit's owners declined to install the barriers and run-off that faster cars of the era required, and it did not reopen to competition until the Goodwood Revival in 1998. The circuit today is used almost exclusively for historic racing, testing and members'-only track days rather than modern national championships.
Named corners and sections
- Madgwick. The fast opening corner after the pit straight, taken with minimal lift.
- Fordwater. A long, high-speed sweeping bend that tests commitment and confidence in the car.
- St Mary's. A demanding, blind-crested corner regarded as one of the trickiest on the lap.
- Lavant Corner / Lavant Straight. Leads onto the circuit's longest straight, where the highest speeds of the lap are reached.
- Woodcote (with chicane). The final corner complex before the pit straight, tightened by a chicane to reduce speed.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full Circuit | 3.86 km | Unchanged since the late 1940s/1950s; the only layout in use |
Events and race weekends
Goodwood's motorsport calendar is built around two headline historic race meetings: the Goodwood Revival in September, a period-dress festival of pre-1966 racing widely regarded as the world's leading historic motorsport event, and the Goodwood Members' Meeting, a spring gathering for the Goodwood Road Racing Club that mixes historic racing with demonstrations. The separate Festival of Speed hillclimb, held on the Goodwood Estate's driveway rather than the circuit itself, is the estate's third and largest motorsport event. Outside these fixtures the circuit hosts GRRC and Fellowship member track days and test days rather than public national racing.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodwood Revival | Historic motorsport festival (pre-1966 eligibility) | September | The circuit's flagship event since 1998; period dress encouraged |
| Goodwood Members' Meeting | GRRC historic racing and demonstrations | April | Members-focused spring meeting |
| Goodwood Festival of Speed | Hillclimb (held on the estate driveway, not the circuit) | July | Separate from the Motor Circuit but part of the same Goodwood motorsport calendar |
Getting there and parking
The circuit is on the Goodwood Estate a few miles north of Chichester in West Sussex, just off the A285 and A27. Chichester is the nearest railway station, with a taxi taking around 15 minutes or a shuttle bus running during major events. Southampton Airport is the closest with scheduled flights, and Goodwood also has its own aerodrome next to the circuit used for private aviation during events.
- Southampton Airport (SOU) · about 45 min drive
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW) · about 60 min drive
Parking
On-site parking is available for major events, often at additional cost with pre-booking recommended; shuttle buses run from Chichester station during the Revival, Members' Meeting and Festival of Speed.
Most track time is restricted to GRRC and Fellowship members; check event dates well ahead, as the Revival in particular sells out and requires advance ticket booking.
Hotels and camping near Goodwood Motor Circuit
Chichester, a few minutes' drive away, has the widest choice of hotels and is the practical base for most visitors, while the Goodwood Hotel on the estate itself offers the closest on-site option. Bognor Regis and Petworth add further choice within a short drive. Accommodation across the area books out well in advance of the Revival and Members' Meeting, often a year ahead for the Revival.
Where to look
Chichester (closest, widest hotel choice), the Goodwood Hotel on the estate itself, and Bognor Regis or Petworth for further options within a short drive.
Camping
Camping and glamping packages are offered directly by Goodwood for its headline events (Revival, Members' Meeting and Festival of Speed), catering for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and are booked as part of event ticketing rather than year-round.
RV
Motorhome and caravan pitches are available as part of the same event camping packages.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Public track days in the American or general UK sense are not offered at Goodwood; circuit time is restricted to Goodwood Road Racing Club (GRRC) members and GRRC Fellowship members, who can book club track days and testing days to drive their own road or race car on the historic layout, subject to noise testing and other event rules. This members-only model is a deliberate point of difference from most other British circuits.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern outright, Group 7/Can-Am-style | 1:18.217 | Nick Padmore | Lola T70 | 2015 |
| Historic outright, Formula 1 (pre-1966 era) | 1:20.4 | Jim Clark / Jackie Stewart | Formula 1 car | 1965 |
Spectator guide
Goodwood's flat, tree-lined former-airfield setting gives good views along several of its fast corners, and the Revival in particular is as much about the period atmosphere - vintage dress, funfairs and aircraft displays - as the racing itself. Grandstands and viewing areas are set up specifically for the Revival and Members' Meeting weekends.
Best places to watch
The grandstands around the finish straight and the paddock/pit lane area give the closest views of cars and period atmosphere during the Revival; St Mary's and Lavant Corner are favoured spots for watching the racing itself.
Weather
- Sep: generally mild for the Revival, but the South Downs can bring sudden showers
- Apr: cool and changeable spring weather for the Members' Meeting
History of Goodwood Motor Circuit
An airfield in wartime
Goodwood Motor Circuit began as RAF Westhampnett, a satellite fighter station built in 1940 to support nearby RAF Tangmere during the Battle of Britain, with Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons operating from its grass airstrip. After the war the 9th Duke of Richmond, an enthusiastic motor racing driver himself, saw the potential in the airfield's perimeter road and laid out a permanent circuit on it, opening for racing on 18 September 1948 - one of the first purpose-built post-war circuits in Britain.
The golden years
Through the 1950s and early 1960s Goodwood became one of the leading circuits on the British calendar, hosting Formula 1 non-championship races, sports car racing and the Tourist Trophy, and drawing stars including Stirling Moss, who suffered a career-ending crash there in 1962. Bruce McLaren was killed testing a Can-Am car at the circuit on 2 June 1970, four years after racing had already stopped there.
Closure and dormancy
Racing ended at Goodwood in 1966 when the circuit's owners refused to add the barriers, run-off areas and other safety modifications that increasingly fast cars of the era demanded, judging the changes incompatible with the character of the track. For more than three decades the circuit was used only for testing and driving experiences, its unmodified 1966-spec layout effectively frozen in time.
Revival and today
The circuit reopened to competition in 1998 with the first Goodwood Revival, a period-dress historic race meeting confined to cars and motorcycles eligible for the track's pre-1966 heyday, which quickly grew into the world's best-attended historic motorsport event. The Goodwood Members' Meeting followed in 2014 as a members-focused spring counterpart. Today the circuit, still owned by the Goodwood Estate and the Duke of Richmond's family, operates almost entirely around these two events plus club track days and testing for Goodwood Road Racing Club members, preserving its 1948 layout largely unchanged.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Goodwood Motor Circuit?+
The circuit is 2.4 miles (3.862km) with 9 turns, and it has run largely unchanged since the 1950s.
Can the public drive Goodwood Motor Circuit?+
Only through Goodwood Road Racing Club (GRRC) or Fellowship membership. There is no open public track day booking in the way most British circuits offer; members can book club track days and testing days to drive their own car.
What is the difference between the Goodwood Revival, Members' Meeting and Festival of Speed?+
The Revival (September) and Members' Meeting (April) are historic race meetings held on the Motor Circuit itself, restricted to pre-1966-eligible cars for the Revival. The Festival of Speed (July) is a separate hillclimb event held on the driveway of Goodwood House, not the circuit.
Where are the best hotels near Goodwood Motor Circuit?+
Chichester, a few minutes away, has the widest choice of hotels, and the Goodwood Hotel on the estate itself is the closest on-site option. Bognor Regis and Petworth offer further choice a short drive away.
Can you camp at Goodwood Motor Circuit?+
Camping and glamping are offered as part of ticketing for the Revival, Members' Meeting and Festival of Speed, catering for tents, caravans and motorhomes, but this isn't a year-round campsite.
Why did Goodwood stop hosting racing in 1966?+
The circuit's owners chose not to install the barriers and run-off areas that faster, more powerful cars of the mid-1960s required, and racing ceased rather than modify the layout. It didn't return to competition until the first Goodwood Revival in 1998.
Other tracks nearby
- Brooklands · 59 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Thruxton Circuit · 71 km · road course
- Battersea Park Street Circuit · 81 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Brands Hatch · 90 km · road course
- ExCeL London Circuit · 91 km · street circuit
- Castle Combe Circuit · 123 km · road course
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.