With an almighty roar, Goodwood welcomed a fleet of incredible cars from the Canadian-American Challenge Cup, including examples from McLaren, Shadow and Porsche – three of the most successful marques in Can-Am’s history. The 81st Members’ Meeting also remembered Niki Lauda with 2024 marking a series of significant anniversaries for the three-time Formula 1 World Champion, including 50 years since his first Grand Prix victory in the 1974 Spanish Grand Prix, 40 years since his third and final World Championship, and 75 years since the Formula 1 Champion’s birth. A special on-track demonstration saw Lauda’s 1985 Dutch Grand Prix-winning McLaren MP4/2B on track and the legendary driver will also be honored later in the year at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard.
Spectacular demonstrations
On Saturday afternoon, Gerhard Berger returned to the cockpit of his 1989 Ferrari 640 Formula 1 car. The Ferrari, which raced in the 1989 F1 season with drivers Berger and Nigel Mansell, was the first to ever use a sequential paddle-shift transmission.
Sidecar Action
Eight modern racing sidecars went head-to-head across the weekend for the first time at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, showcasing the precise teamwork between driver and co-driver as they tackled the challenging combination of high-speed straights and tight turns around the track. Winning the spectacular Shoot-Out on Sunday afternoon was Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clement.
Tyrrell Shed
The historic Formula 1 building opened its doors to Members and Fellows of the Goodwood Road Racing Club for an exclusive preview at the Members’ Meeting. Once home to Ken Tyrrell’s Championship-winning Formula 1 racing team, the Tyrrell Shed housed its former creations the Tyrrell 001 and 008. Goodwood is delighted that the building has found a new, permanent home at the Motor Circuit. The Tyrrell Shed will officially open to the public at the Goodwood Revival in September.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50s
The highly-anticipated T.50s track-only hypercar made its global dynamic debut on Saturday, with four-time IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti taking part in the two-car demonstration. Each year, Gordon Murray Automotive brings together an exceptional collection of cars at the Members’ Meeting to celebrate Professor Gordon Murray’s extraordinary career in automotive design, with this year serving as no exception. The GMA paddock display showcased the story of the T.50s, alongside the T.33 Mule, with the Pit Lane Lawn display featuring a series of GMA cars and engines.
Around the event
The 81st Members’ Meeting saw a changing of the guard in the annual competition to win the House Shield. The event welcomed its new House Captains, World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (Aubigny), nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (Darnley), three-time British Touring Car Champion Gordon Shedden (Methuen) and IndyCar Champion Dario Franchitti (Torbolton).
From the hotly contested Tug-O-War to duck herding, there was something for everyone at the Members’ Meeting as guests competed to earn points for their respective Houses. A firm favorite amongst our Members, Fellows, and drivers, the House Games and racing over the weekend saw Torbolton take home the trophy with 19,877 points.
Auction Action
A collection of impressive and unique vehicles went under the hammer at the Bonhams|Cars Auction on Sunday afternoon. Among the catalog of vehicles on offer was the 1954 Bristol 45- Le Mans Sports Car World Championship-acing Coupé recreation, the 1936 Frazer Nash TT Replica Roadster, and the Crown Edition of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
Festivities
Driving into sunset on Saturday evening, the Gordon Spice Trophy was followed by the start of the much-loved Members’ Meeting party. With a spectacular fireworks display and live music, the party was a real celebration for our Goodwood Road Racing Club Members and Fellows.
Photography by Jochen van Cauwenberge, Pete Summers and Nick Wilkinson.
