Goodwood announces theme for 2026 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard.
Event will celebrate some of the most legendary rivalries from across motorsport.
Festival of Speed takes place Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 July 2026.
Early bird tickets available at goodwood.com.
As we look forward to the 2026 motorsport season, Goodwood today announces the theme for the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard: ‘The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels’.
The Festival of Speed theme is the thread that draws together the cars, bikes, drivers, riders, teams and manufacturers that attend the event. In 2026, Goodwood will pay tribute to the most fiercely contested encounters from across motorsport, celebrating the emotion and intensity that has pushed people and machines to the limit; the very essence of competition that sits at the heart of racing.
The racing annals are punctuated by defining rivalries and head-to-head battles that have captured the world’s attention. Through the lens of ‘The Rivals’, the Festival of Speed will mark a number of notable anniversaries, including 60 years since the American muscle of Ford took on the might of Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, and 50 years since the legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda as they vied for the Formula 1 World Championship in 1976.
A dedicated batch of cars and bikes illustrating motorsport’s ‘Epic Racing Duels’ will take to the Goodwood Hill across the Festival of Speed weekend, as the event once again brings together drivers, riders, teams, and manufacturers, from from Formula 1, MotoGP, Grand Prix racing, World Endurance Championship, WorldSBK, Isle of Man TT, IndyCar, World Rally Championship and Touring Cars.
The Duke of Richmond CBE DL said: “Over the years, Goodwood has seen some fierce competition, whether in the early days of the circuit, when the all-time greats were battling it out, or in more recent years on the famous Goodwood Hill. With that in mind, next year’s Festival of Speed will capture the drama and intensity of motorsport’s greatest contests as we celebrate “The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels.” The event will bring to life such rivalries as that of James Hunt and Niki Lauda, whose epic encounters, particularly in 1976, are now the stuff of legend.
Further information about the 2026 Festival of Speed, including details of attending vehicles and competitors will be announced in the coming months.
Book now to save on tickets during the early bird windowCustomers can save on Festival of Speed tickets during our early bird window. Tickets are available to book at goodwood.com.
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