Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 – Launch Day Photo Gallery

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 will be held from 30 June – 3 July, highlighting ‘Racing Revolutions – Quantum leaps that shaped motor sport’ as the theme for this year’s events. The essence of this theme will run right through Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 attractions, with racing innovations evident throughout, including developments to engine, aerodynamics, chassis construction, and much more.

Lord March officially launched the 2011 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 17 March with a smattering of entrants aimed to ‘tease’ spectators as to what will be in store at this year’s Festival.Lord March was supported by a host of motor sport stars, including Formula One drivers Mika Hakkinen, Jochen Mass, Desiré Wilson and Bruno Senna, motorcycle competitors Guy Martin, James Haydon and Paul Smart, rally stars Andreas Mikkleson, Jimmy McRae and Russell Brooks, and circuit racer legends Paul Radisich, Richard Attwood and Anthony Reid.

As expected, Jaguar will be playing a key role as the event celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic E-type and there were many significant Jaguars on hand. Also accounted for the Goodwood Press Day were a Lancia D24; Mercedes-Benz W196; Maserati 250F; Ferrari 312PB; Alfa Romeo Type 159; Bugatti Type 35; Invicta Low Chassis; Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2; Ford GT40 1009; Buick Regal Ex-Bobby Allison, among others.

Another participant at the launch was Yasmin Le Bon, who posed alongside arguably the most famous E-type of all – one of two cars to have made an epic, high-speed journey from Coventry to Geneva in March 1961 at the behest of Sir William Lyons. The car, a prototype Series One E-type roadster carrying the registration ’77 RW’, was delivered by Norman Dewis, Chief Test Driver at the time.

Norman’s modern day successor, Mike Cross, Chief Engineer, Vehicle Integrity, at the wheel of the new Jaguar XKR-S, marked the event in style with a series of dramatic demonstration runs up the notorious Goodwood hill.

Joining Mike in taking on the hill was ex-Le Mans and BTCC racer Anthony Reid driving an XFR – his enthusiastic driving style won him the TAG Heuer ‘Most Spirited Getaway’ award.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 will see Jaguar take centre stage with a dramatic sculpture being commissioned for the lawn in front of Goodwood House. Enthusiasts will be able to view an array of Jaguars from the past, present and a little way into the future with the XK120, and examples of the C-, D- and, of course, E-type taking part in demonstration runs in front of the crowds.

The Centenary of the famous Indy 500 is being marked by Goodwood with the biggest celebration of this great race outside of America. To date over 30 cars have been confirmed, all of which played a significant role at the Brickyard, including nine outright winning chassis, to be driven by drivers with a dozen wins between them. Many of the cars will be appearing at the Festival for the first time. The cars will all be displayed together, creating a mini Gasoline Alley within the F1 Paddock, with much of the unique pageantry of the Indy 500 being recreated at the Festival. A line-up of Indy 500 cars were present at Goodwood, including the 1914 Sunbeam ‘Indianapolis’, 1951 Steven-Offy ‘Jim Robbins Special’ and 1966 Lola-Ford T90 ‘Bowes Seal’.

The Festival will start on Thursday 30 June with the Moving Motor Show – a chance for visitors to experience the latest Jaguar road cars and even get behind and take on the Goodwood hill.

Tickets for the Goodwood Festival of Speed can be ordered at www.goodwood.co.uk.

Photographer Tim Scott of Fluid Images was on hand to document Press Day for Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011, offering the following 220 brilliant images that capture the essence of Lord March’s historic motorsport event. To see more from Tim, visit fluidimages.co.uk.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 – Launch Day Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)