2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed mega line-up

If you’re attending the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed next weekend, here’s what to expect. If you’re not going…here’s what you’ll miss.

This celebration of performance cars old and new, including those machines from different theatres of motorsport, takes place between June 23-26 at Lord March’s Goodwood Estate near Chichester – the theme this year being ‘Full Throttle – the Endless Pursuit of Power’. It specifically celebrates BMW’s centenary year as a manufacturer.

As well, 2016 marks the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, the 50th anniversary of the big-banger Can-Am Series, and the 50th anniversary of Jack Brabham winning the world championship in a car bearing his own name. Expect these notable anniversaries to be part of FoS 2016.

Lord March loves his cars and he’ll open proceedings with the first run of the festival in a 1957 BMW 507, valued north of A$3million.

Grand prix machines from seven F1 teams are scheduled to power noisily up the Goodwood hill this year, some in the hands of past and present F1 drivers who’ve confirmed their attendance.

Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Force India, McLaren, Red Bull, Renault, and Williams will have a presence there.

Among the star drivers are Mark Webber (fresh from Le Mans), Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button (showcasing the all-new Honda NSX), Stirling Moss, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart and Martin Brundle, who’ll be taking Button’s championship-winning 2009 Brawn BGP 001 for a blat up the hill.

Emerson Fittipaldi will tackle the climb in a Penske PC22.

Star spotting is easy at Goodwood as more than 60 drivers past and present will be traipsing around the attractions, way more accessible and relaxed (doh!) than usual. Did we mention Gerhard Berger, Rene Arnoux, Frank Biela, Richard Atwood, Ken Block, David Brabham, Yannick Dalmas?

Olympic cycling gold medallist and 2016 Le Mans racer Chris Hoy is another special guest along with AC/DC front man and car buff Brian Johnson.

Champions from Le Mans, Superbike, Monte Carlo, Isle of Man, 500cc motorcycling, Indy 500, British Rallying, BTCC, and NASCAR are part of the impressive roll-call.

Le Mans legend Derek Bell is driving the 1972 Mirage GR7, and the new Bentley Bentayga.

Giacomo Agostini will ride an MV Agusta; Aussie Troy Corser a BMW Kaczor R50S.

The festival this year is much about BMW, as the brand celebrates its centenary year, showing off not just the BMW brand but Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad. The bellowing BMW M4 GTS is set for a run up the hill along with its siblings, the M2 and BMW i8 Protonic Red edition.

The V8 Lexus LC coupe makes its UK debut at Goodwood, and will be accompanied by the LFA supercar, RC F, and GS F.

Soon for Australia, Maserati’s Levante SUV will show off its sporting inclinations on the hill, also joining the Ghibli and Quattroporte on the manufacturer’s stand.

To be revealed at Goodwood too will be the new Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R, a more powerful GT variant, wearing some new handling features such as active aero and rear wheel steering.

Highlighting its deep motor sporting history, McLaren has arranged the most extensive display of its models ever. There will be the track-only 570S Sprint, making its sporting debut on the famous hill alongside the road-going 570S coupe. Rounding off the line-up of current models will be two examples of the P1 GTR.

Some grand old Can Am and Indy 500 gear will also be present.