‘The narratives present themselves, and we just try to do them as well as we can,’ says the Duke of Richmond, matter-of-factly. Anyone who has attended one of Goodwood’s flagship events might suspect that this is something of an understatement, given the scale and orchestration behind what unfolds there each year.
Today, however, the setting is a little calmer. It is Goodwood’s Media Drive Day, where manufacturers showcase their latest machinery on the Motor Circuit ahead of the Members’ Meeting and the start of another packed season. We are seated in the Jackie Stewart Pavilion for a brief trackside conversation about the year ahead, as a steady procession of cars thunders towards Madgwick behind us. Immaculately turned out in a tailored suit and acetate spectacles, the Duke is in buoyant mood and, unsurprisingly, entirely at ease with the noise.
‘The rivals theme runs through everything this year,’ he says, thumbing through paperwork fanned across the desk between us. ‘There’s a certain consistency to it – but we’re looking forward to a great year.’ Officially titled The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels, the 2026 season mines a rich seam of motor racing history, retelling the human rivalries that gave the machines their meaning.
At the heart of this year’s theme lies the intertwined story of James Hunt and Barry Sheene – kindred spirits who lived as fast off the track as they did on it. Both men reached the pinnacle of their respective sport in 1976, one of motorsport’s most mythologised seasons, and this year marks its 50th anniversary. Tributes will begin with on-track parades of their most iconic machines at the Members’ Meeting, before further demonstrations and displays at July’s Festival of Speed and the Revival in September.
‘Barry was a close, close friend,’ his Grace reflects. ‘We really want to do them both proud.’ Adding to the poignancy of the celebration will be the presence of Sheene, Hunt and arch-rival Niki Lauda’s children across the events. Among them are Freddie Sheene and Freddie Lauda, both of whom share their fathers’ appetite for speed. ‘We’ve got both Freddies,’ he smiles. ‘They’ll both be riding and driving.’
The rivalries don’t stop at 1976, either. Speaking in a hushed tone, the Duke reveals he is trying to bring 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg to Goodwood this year to mark the tenth anniversary of his title battle with Lewis Hamilton. ‘We’re hoping,’ he says carefully. ‘He hasn’t said yes yet.’
Formula 1 took centre stage at last year’s Festival of Speed, which hosted all ten teams, championship-winning drivers and an expanded paddock to mark the sport’s 75th anniversary. Even if the Duke cannot tempt Rosberg to West Sussex, there will be plenty to delight F1 fans in 2026.
‘I know Jenson is very excited about driving his championship-winning Brawn at the Members’ Meeting,’ he says. ‘When Gerhard drove his Ferrari a few years ago, he was a little terrified – he said he hadn’t remembered how fast it was. So that will be pretty spectacular.’
Damon Hill, meanwhile, will be honoured at the Festival of Speed. This year marks the 30th anniversary of his 1996 world championship – the crowning moment of a career significantly defined by his bitter rivalry with Michael Schumacher, whose controversial collision with Hill at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix remains one of Formula 1’s most debated moments. ‘It’s a very big anniversary year for Damon,’ the Duke says. ‘There will be big Balcony Moments for him at the Festival of Speed.’
The theme extends beyond drivers, too. This year, to mark the 60th anniversary of one of motorsport’s most storied results, Goodwood will reunite the three Ford GT40 MkIIs that finished 1-2-3 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. The result was the culmination of Henry Ford II’s personal feud with Enzo Ferrari and was famously retold by Hollywood in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari. The American Le Mans-winning trio will be demonstrated together at the Festival of Speed and Revival.
The Ford GT40 won’t be the only Anglo-American engineering story at this year’s Festival. California-based Singer Vehicle Design, which has spent the past 15 years reimagining Porsche 911s as though cost were no object, will be the subject of this year’s vast Central Sculpture, created by artist Gerry Judah. ‘We love the cars,’ the Duke says with unguarded enthusiasm. ‘When we saw it, we all thought – okay, this is going to be spectacular.’
This year’s Festival of Speed also turns its gaze across the Atlantic more broadly. To mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, the event will celebrate American motorsport in depth – from NASCAR and IndyCar to classic Can-Am machinery, with a strong presence from Team Shelby. The americana theme is already apparent in the miniature burgers, hot dogs and fried chicken on the Media Drive Day’s menu. The Duke is tight-lipped on the details, as much of it is still being finalised. He does reveal, however, that he’s hoping to bring several of America’s great racing dynasties over for the occasion.
It is almost reassuring to learn that the Duke finds the highlights of his own events just as hard to predict as the rest of us. Asked what he expects to be the standout moment of 2026, he pauses, before answering.
‘Gosh, that’s a good question – it’s just so unpredictable. So often you think the big thing will be something, and then it ends up being something totally different.’
To illustrate the point, he recalls the evening the Festival paid tribute to the late rock guitarist and lifelong car enthusiast Jeff Beck following his death in 2023, when fellow guitarists Eric Clapton and Billy Gibbons drove up to Goodwood House in his honour.
‘It was raining, and we played music off the roof at about 5000 watts. We were all standing on the roof – it was one of those moments I really wasn’t expecting at all.’
But it is the very first Festival, in 1993, that remains closest to his heart. The estate expected two or three thousand people to attend, but 25,000 showed up. ‘It was like Woodstock,’ he laughs.
‘When I was eight years old I used to lie in bed trying to get to sleep, dreaming about these cars. And I think we’ve had more of them here than anywhere else in the world.’
It seems the narratives are still presenting themselves.
For more on Goodwood’s 2026 events, click here.
