GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED GOES FULL THROTTLE!

June 24, 2016 by Goodwood

The first day of the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway under blue skies as the world's finest cars and best drivers gather to celebrate this year's central theme: Full Throttle – The Endless Pursuit of Speed. Appropriately, seven Grand Prix teams are taking a break from a whirlwind season to field cars on the hillclimb course during the weekend, with Jenson Button and World Championship points leader Nico Rosberg affording a rare opportunity to see F1 stars in action up close.

BMW is celebrating its centenary year at the 2016 running of this globally-renowned event, with two- and four-wheeled machines spanning the brand's stellar motorsport history taking to the Hill. These span everything from the record-breaking, supercharged WR 750 motorcycle to the latest M6

GT3 racing car. The marque's contribution to Grand Prix lore will also be honoured, with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone loaning a sextet of Brabham-BMWs for the Sky Sports F1 Paddock display. This year's Central Feature, created by renowned artist Gerry Judah, also features three cars which fully embrace the Ultimate Driving Machine ethos, while the BMW Art Cars display in the Stable Yard is also not to be missed.

This year, Goodwood is also honouring two men who enlivened 1970s motorsport with their talent and outsized personalities. Barry Sheene and James Hunt were heroes on and off the track and two special classes have been collated to celebrate the lives and stellar careers of motor racing's most party-hearty playboys. Rallying hasn't been forgotten, though, as frontline WRC cars will be storming the Hill in the Ultimate Rally Cars class. The works Volkswagen team is here with a Polo R WRC for Finnish star Jari-Matti Latvala, while YouTube sensation Ken Block returns to Goodwood with his new Ford Focus RX machine. Four-time World Superbike Champion Carl Fogerty, meanwhile, joins a roll-call of two-wheeled racing legends who will be out in action during the weekend, including Giacomo Agostini, John McGuinness and Troy Corser.

Throw in a new dedicated class for British Touring Car Championship cars and drivers and expect fireworks!