Join us as we relive 2019’s Members’ Meeting

Glorious Goodwood

Goodwood Motor Circuit would have welcomed historic racing’s great and good this weekend (28-29 March) for the 78th running of its Members’ Meeting, an event that can trace its history back to the original circuit and 1948.

We’re sure the daffodils were primed but, of course, the global coronavirus outbreak means the event has been cancelled.

So to get your classic racing fix, join us as we look back at last year’s edition – it was an action-packed weekend!

Happy birthday Mini!

There were Minis everywhere, with heats and a final to find a winner in the little marvel’s 60th year.

Fittingly, 60 cars joined the fight for supremacy, but after a frantic race it was Mini specialist Nick Swift who came out on top by just 0.5 secs.

The fleeting brilliance of Procar

It wasn’t just the Mini’s anniversary that was marked – 40 years since the launch of Procar was another cause for celebration, two seasons of the world’s best drivers in BMW’s iconic M1, each with a great livery.

The racing was fierce, the like of which will probably never happen again. Imagine Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and other stars facing off in identical machinery today…

Yellow peril

It's no secret why Minis are so popular for drivers and spectators alike. As Gregor Frötscher shows here, cocking a wheel (or two!) in his vibrant 1964 Cooper ‘S’.

Having qualified bang in the middle of the pack for the second heat in 15th place, alongside experienced hand Michael Caine’s one-year-newer ‘S’, he retired midway through the race.

The heat was won by Swift, by a mere 0.2 secs. Precisely why Mini racing is such a highlight.

All hail the Porsche 917

It would have been remiss, almost, of Goodwood to allow the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 917 to pass unmentioned.

Chassis #001 led the gaggle of examples of arguably the world’s greatest sports-racing cars ever around the circuit, with a 917/30 Can-Am brute, Jo Siffert’s 917/10 STP car, plus the Daytona winning 917K that is usually found in Porsche’s museum.

Among those who took the wheel were Richard Attwood, Mark Webber and Neel Jani, no less.

Larger than life

One of the Members’ Meeting’s most popular encounters – and possibly the most varied field – is the Gerry Marshall Trophy.

Named after the larger-than-life racer, famously only here for the beer, the cars do justice to the man, Rover SD1s battling with Ford Capris, while Minis snap away at their heels.

The drivers are as big an attraction, too: Neel Jani, Nic Minassian, Steve Soper, Romain Dumas, Emanuele Pirro and many more were among the field, but it was Stig Blomqvist who won 2019’s reverse grid ‘sprint’ race in an SD1. 

Prototypes parade

Some cars made their debuts at the historic Sussex circuit last year, not least in the Le Mans prototype demonstration runs.

Home favourite and one of the best-looking LMP cars in recent memory, the Bentley Speed 8 was among them.

Behind is the distinctive silhouette of the Peugeot 908, a descendent-of-sorts of the early 900 series cars of the 1990s. When better to see them, too, than in the dying embers of the day’s sunlight.

A flash of colour

Spring’s date and Goodwood’s uncanny ability to seemingly make daffodils bloom on demand make for a bright backdrop to the 2.3-mile strip of Tarmac, adding yet more colour to the iconic liveries on track. 

This is the 1970 Daytona 24 Hours winner, then driven by Pedro Rodríguez, Leo Kinnunen and Brian Redman to a 1-2 ahead of Jo Siffert and the double-shifting Redman. 

Unlucky for some

There were Porsches elsewhere in competitive action – or three, anyway. The spectacular Graham Hill Trophy welcomed the 904GTS of David Clark and Phillip Kadoorie, but they had a meeting to probably forget. Disqualified from qualifying, the car retired from the race after nine laps. But not before Drew Gibson caught this slide on camera.

Le Mans winner in 1970 Attwood took the helm of another, alongside Rainer Becker, while Jason Barron shared with Isle of Man TT-winning rider and tin-top champion racer Stuart Graham.

More Mini magnificence

Double Touring Cars runner-up Anthony Reid shared this Mini Clubman 1275GT and claimed 10th in the feature race and best Mini. Albeit as the only Mini to reach the flag.

Michael Caine and Jason Brooks, who raced in the PJ Green car behind, retired on lap nine.

Sensational single-seaters

It isn't all tin-tops or sports cars. Here the Derek Bell Cup gets under way, led by eventual winner Ben Mitchell’s Brabham-Ford BT28 – though poleman Andrew Hibberd has already escaped the picture.

A strong field of 25 cars lined up for the Formula Three event, with star manufacturer names such as Lotus, Brabham and March providing the bulk of the cigar-shaped machinery.

Oldies are goodies

They might not have raced here when they were new, but they did when the circuit was first used. And they were historic even then.

Julian Majzub in the Sunbeam ‘Indianapolis’ and Tony Lees in the Vauxhall Viper Special produced an epic battle at the front to match the cars’ proportions – they were separated by just 0.018 secs at the flag.

Behind is the Fiat S61 of William Evans, two laps down.

Beneath the setting sun

Special sunsets aren’t solely reserved for the Friday night of the Revival in September. The two-driver Gerry Marshall Trophy Feature Race started just before 7pm, meaning headlights were ablaze as the sun set. Here’s the winner on the road, the Mustang 302 Boss of Newall and Davies – only to later be disqualified.

The year before, in 2018, some might recall weather of a slightly more wintry persuasion, when the circuit was frozen beneath a smattering of snow.

Two in a row

Formation flying for two Gulf-liveried Porsche 917s. Probably the livery that most will think of when recalling the flat-12 great, yet it won Le Mans in the red and white of the Salzburg team in 1970 and Team Martini in 1971.

Full Goodwood members and Fellowship members will be able to watch many of the videos from Members’ Meetings gone by online all weekend.

Little and large

Diversity is a feature of the Gerry Marshall contest – meaning you get the chance to see a Mustang 302 Boss being hounded by a Mini 1275GT with a Metro looking on, being dwarfed by an SD1.

Not only is that Mini vs Metro, but Patrick Watts vs Anthony Reid…

Until next time…

The Duke of Richmond, Charlie March, shared this mint Broadspeed Triumph Dolomite Sprint with Sebring 12 Hours winner Marino Franchitti in the Gerry Marshall Trophy. 

Clearly pushing on, as the front-left wheel’s dangling proves, the pair scored 15th and best Dolly in the feature race, with March claiming ninth in the sprint.

We can’t wait to return to Goodwood when racing resumes – we’ll see you there!