Goodwood - Festival of Speed or the Revival ??

[Rambo]

Thinking of getting my act together and going to one of these next year but which one ?? Have you any thoughts which is the better event and why ?? I know a few of you (Nige, Muley ?? etc...) went to one of these last year but I can't remember which one.

Thanks, Mark

PS Also plans to go to Le Mans, possibly the year after for the classics or the 24H

[chris.t]

definitely want to do the le mans classic

[theelanman]

LMC....we did it this year...it was excellent (if you ingnore the usual french ablutions)........

went to the revival about 2 years ago......that too was very good (just thought it was rather over priced but still good).....
its based on and around the goodwood circuit rather than the FOS which is based on the hill climb course.......

cheers
g

[davidjt]

They're very different: if you're into historics being raced properly, the Revival is fantastic, if expensive. The Festival includes ancient and moderns, hillclimbing and ENORMOUS crowds.
Elements of both can be a bit elitist. Whichever you decide on, you probably need to book accomodation now.

(Chris: I think the next LMC is in 2008?; the paddock carpark this year contained more Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis than you'd normally see in a lifetime; the races, more Porsche 906/908/910/917s than I thought still existed. Definitely worth the trip!)

[muley]

Mark,

This year (2006) We went to Goodwood Festival of Speed on the Friday - because we were able to get FREE tickets - these were advertised in The Times - we just had to log on and request them. It's a bit of a gamble because if you don't get them it's probably too late to get tickets for Sat/Sun. The firm I used to work for gave us some discounts in the past but now ...

At GFOS you will see a vast variety of cars and hear them starting up and roaring up the hill climb circuit. There is now a (short) rally stage through the woods for the rally cars which is good to watch. You can rub shoulders with motoring luminaries and see a vast array of current supercars. There is sometimes a small air display. I normally burble down in the Elan in convoy with my friend who is driving his Porsche 911.

At the REVIVAL you will see cars racing round a full circuit - the concept is to capture the spirit of the 50s - you can even dress up if you want (although your hair style would probably rule that out ). There is a lot more aeronautical activity. The organisers encourage older cars to attend - there is a separate parking area for pre -66 cars which is good to wander round.

On balance I prefer GFOS although Festival does make for a good day out as well.

All IMHO, of course

Oh, and a Merry Xmas



Jim

[theelanman]

Mark,
At the Festival you will see cars racing round a full circuit - the concept is to capture the spirit of the 50s - you can even dress up if you want (although your hair style would probably rule that out ). There is a lot more aeronautical activity. The organisers encourage older cars to attend - there is a separate parking area for pre -66 cars which is good to wander round.

I think jim means the revival........rather than festival

[muley]

Mark,
At the Festival you will see cars racing round a full circuit - the concept is to capture the spirit of the 50s - you can even dress up if you want (although your hair style would probably rule that out ). There is a lot more aeronautical activity. The organisers encourage older cars to attend - there is a separate parking area for pre -66 cars which is good to wander round.

I think jim means the revival........rather than festival

D'oh! I did.

Duly corrected

bibi

[rjbean]

This is the second attempt of writing this coz my son managed to turn the computer off the first time, he is now happily playing in his walker out of harms way - well, harm to the computer anyway.

I prefer the revival to the festival of speed. The festival is good though but is pretty much the same every year now. There are a lot of cars and bikes old and new to look around and a lot do make it up the hill climb track. Most people used to blat it as fast as they could up the hill climb to get the fastest time, which was good to watch, but now most just pootle. Johnny Herbert generally puts on a good display though. The paddock is good, where all the cars participating in the hill climb are kept and rev'd ever so often.

The revival you get proper, full on racing albeit in older cars. You would think that people would take it easy in their (and sometimes other peoples) cars but death or glory enters a lot of the driver's heads. So much more action than F1. I've only been to the revival once, enjoyed watching the racing so much I didn't get around to do anything else so I can't comment on what else to do.

I really is up to what you like to do. If you like to watch pre 70's cars racing and racing properly the the revival is king but if you like to look around lots of cars from all the era's then you can't go wrong with the FOS. Both ARE expensive. I recommend you taking your own food with you if you can because the vast range of food vans know how to charge.

[Rambo]

Thanks for the replies Guys - I will digest them over me Xmas pud and a few malts

Mark

PS my hairdo should go well at the revival Jim !! Affro's were all the rage several decades ago !!

[philip_sloper]

In my opinion the Festival of Speed has been spoilt in recent years by too many drivers doing (often slow) demonstration runs, rather than timed runs. At the Revival everyone is going for it.

But you have to appreciate classics, as to race in the Revival the cars have to have been manufactured between 1948 and 1966.

If you want to get up close to a current F1 car, and see it doing doughnuts, then the FOS is for you.

[Scott J]

Mark,

LM 2007
LM Classic 2008 do both, lifes too short.

slainte 2007

[Stef]

Personally I prefer the Revival. Has a great vibe about it and many eople go dressed in period clothing. And of course the employed actors can be funny too!

I like watching a race and the circuit is great especially as it has an airfield in the middle! All sorts of amazing machinery go out and they do actually race, no poncing.

The FOS is also great but you get to see very little of it and you don't get all the drama with the Revival.

The main thing I would recommend is to get a full pit pass, even if you have to bribe people to borrow one (I think you still need to be a Goodwood member to get pit pass, not sure about now). In there you will get up close to the mechanics, drivers and of course the amazing cars! The noise and smell and everything there is electric!

The event has now sadly become 'popular' and full of people 'to be seen' and thus less full of enthusiasts and is now very crowded. Still an excellent day out (or weekend if you do the full thing).

I'm sure you will have fun!

[Nige]

Mark,

LM 2007
LM Classic 2008 do both, lifes too short.

slainte 2007

LM 2007 is still a possibility. If you take a car you'll need a camping ticket which can be a challenge at this stage (unless you pay over the odds) but if you can grab a seat with someone else you only need a race admission ticket which you can buy when you get there. Happy to advise on Le Mans if you're interested, 2007 is my 15th Le Mans but I've yet to do the Classic.

I went to the FOS and the Revival last year. Both are good events, but are different in nature and character. For sheer variety of cars of all ages from steam carriage to current F1 via supercars, exotics and anything else you can think of and access to them then the FOS is the better. As an overall 'event' and for genuine racing the Revival is unbeatable. The dressing up bit of the revival adds to the atmosphere but it's a slightly curious mix of a war film version of a WWII airfield and some sort of glamorised 1950's motor racing all a bit of a pastiche . I was saddened at the number wearing a uniform who looked like a sack o' sh*t. That started when I had to show the guy who parked next to me how to put the belt on his RAF Wg Cdrs No1 Jacket! The only other issue at the Revival this year was the weather which was well wet on the Saturday, although it made for entertaining racing.

[chris.t]

............ was the weather which was well wet on the Saturday, although it made for entertaining racing.

can go to Castle Coombe for that though Nige

[Rambo]

Mark,

LM 2007
LM Classic 2008 do both, lifes too short.

slainte 2007

Thinking about these as well Scott - just trying to persuade my much better looking half. Will pick your brains as and when Nige.

Slainte, Mark

[Oliver]

I am going to The Revival and the Festival Of Speed on the Sundays: If anyone wants to tag along it would be great to have a few Elans together in the car park - in all the years i have been going to both events i would say our car is one of the rarer vehicles. Ferraris and Porsches everwhere but no Elans. It turns a few heads.

[philip_sloper]

I will be at the Revival on the Saturday, so unfortunately will miss you Oliver.