​The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway this weekend, bringing together current Formula 1 stars, world champions and racing legends for four days of demo runs at the famous hill climb. With this year’s event avoiding a clash with the F1 calendar, several current grand prix drivers will be in attendance alongside a host of former racers and champions from other disciplines.
The headline entry for this year is reigning F1 champion Lando Norris, who will drive the McLaren MCL60—the car with which he secured seven podiums in 2023. This vehicle is particularly meaningful for the British team, launched in 2023 to mark the 60th anniversary of Bruce McLaren founding the outfit. Norris will also sample McLaren’s future by piloting the MCL-HY on its public debut ahead of the Hypercar’s entry into next year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
Current points leader Kimi Antonelli is among the festival participants and was seen performing burnouts in a Mercedes road car on Thursday. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto will be in action as well, taking turns in the rebranded Lotus E20 from the 2012 season. It’s a car with a storied history; Kimi Raikkonen famously drove the V8-powered challenger to victory at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Rising star Isack Hadjar will represent Red Bull, driving the Adrian Newey-designed track-only RB17 supercar alongside Newey himself. Yuki Tsunoda will also take turns behind the wheel of the 1200bhp machine. A host of former F1 drivers will also appear at the Festival of Speed, including world champions Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi.
The festival will also welcome several stars from the sportscar world, including Le Mans legends Tom Kristensen and Derek Bell. Fans can expect to see a lineup of iconic prototype sportscars throughout the event, such as the Porsche 962, the Ford GT Mk II and the McLaren F1 GTR. Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner will be in attendance, while seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi stands out as the biggest name from motorcycling. Following his transition to car racing, Rossi will drive the BMW V12 LMR, which won Le Mans in 1999, and he will also climb into a 2020-spec Yamaha M1 for a bike-focused display.
Rally luminaries will also be present, including Sebastien Loeb, Sebastien Ogier and Nasser Al-Attiyah. In addition, Dan Ticktum will showcase Formula E’s Gen4 prototype to demonstrate the capabilities of a modern electric racing car.
From the McLaren MCL60 and its future MCL-HY to the enduring appeal of classic prototypes and modern electric racing machines, the Goodwood Festival of Speed promises a rich blend of speed, history and innovation. The four-day spectacle will give fans a comprehensive view of the sport’s evolution, with performances from an array of racing legends and contemporary champions across multiple disciplines.