The Balcony Moments at the 2026 Festival of Speed

Thursday

Ducati’s centenary celebration  

Kicking things off on Thursday was a moment to honour Ducati’s centenary, celebrating 100 years of performance, innovation and unmistakable Italian flair. As one of the most successful marques in motorcycle history, Ducati has claimed more than 50 world titles, forging a legendary reputation through high-performance engineering.

Goodwood House welcomed an incredible cohort of Ducati greats to the Hill, before a showcase of racing royalty made its way to the House. Four-time World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty led proceedings, and he was joined by three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, Moto GP's Casey Stoner and several other riders all of whom have contributed to Ducati's success. 

Alongside the Balcony moment, Ducati marked its century of design by offering visitors a rare opportunity to see its new Collezione 100 collection, a limited run of ten bespoke bikes with liveries inspired by some of its most influential and memorable machines. The only time you’ll be able to witness the entire collection displayed together outside of Italy, it was an ultimate opportunity to immerse yourself in the brand’s rich racing history.

Friday

John McGuinness 

Adding to the two-wheeled pedigree of the weekend, road racing royalty John McGuinness graceed the Balcony on Friday as we celebrated 30 years since his event debut and 20 years since his legendary hat-trick of victories in the Superbike, Junior 600cc, and Senior TT classes.

The Isle of Man energy was in full force as the 'Morecambe Missile' was joined by fellow riders Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd, Ben Birchall, Michael Rutter, and Josh Brookes. McGuinness was the last to make his way up the Hill and after a burnout in front of the House he led the group onto the balcony to roaring reception from the crowds below. 

There are few who’ve proven their talent quite so comprehensively as McGuinness, an it was an honour to celebrate his accomplishments in such style. 

Lando Norris & Valentino Rossi

Friday afternoon saw the Balcony burst into action as two motorsport titans launched their Festival of Speed weekends. Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris and nine-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, both Monster Energy athletes, appeared together for a profound collision of worlds.

The energy was electric when these two icons — who have openly inspired one another across two wheels and four — united for what was an unforgettable moment. A sea of McLaren papaya collided with a vibrant wave of Rossi’s famous fluorescent yellow ‘46’ fans in what was unsurprisingly one of the largest crowds we've seen for a Balcony Moment. 

With ten World Championships and a lifetime of mutual respect between them, this was a sensory overload — loud, atmospheric and impossible to ignore. 

Saturday

Lando Norris

Following a mega Friday, Norris returned to the Balcony on Saturday to celebrate his F1 World Championship success with McLaren. The drama ignited before the Briton even reached the balcony, he drove his 2023 challenger, the McLaren MCL60, right to the front of Goodwood House, where he emerged directly from the heart of the roaring crowd up to the Balcony. 

Norris shared his reflections on his lifechanging achievement with the team he’s been with since 2019, and was joined by boss Andrea Stella and three-time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

His appearance on the Balcony was one of the biggest draws of the weekend, cemented Norris’ status as the definitive hero of the 2026 Festival of Speed.

Gerhard Berger

Formula 1 fever continued on Saturday when the Balcony welcomed Gerhard Berger, 40 years on since his maiden F1 victory at the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix. That iconic win, fuelled by a bold tyre strategy and a turbocharged Benetton B186, launched a legendary career that spanned some of the sport’s most fiercely contested eras, and the charismatic Austrian took centre stage, jumping back into the cockpit of his iconic Benetton-BMW B186. 

This was Berger's first apperance at the Festival of Speed — something the Duke of Richmmond revealed was something he long wished for. His Grace joined Berger on the Balcony to join the crowds in celebrating his career and reflect on a legendary era of the sport. 

A wonderful opportunity to cheer on a driver who defined a generation, Berger made it clear to the crowds that this would not be his last apperance here. "Goodwood is the best!" he declared. 

Sunday

Damon Hill 

Sunday delivered a spectacular finale when we celebrated Damon Hill, 30 years after he won the 1996 Formula 1 World Championship. Hill reunited with his legendary, title-winning Williams FW18 for a run down to the front of Goodwood House for his special moment on the Balcony. 

Hill was joined by his family, and his three children surprised him with the original 1996 Japanese Grand Prix trophy – the race that sealed his world title. Williams Team Principal James Vowles also joined Hill on the Balcony, and reflected on how he first connected with the team by watching the Champion compete. 

Still today, fans who never saw Hill race have come to share that connection for Hill through his work as a broadcaster, evidenced by the waves of affection from the crowds. Damon Hill is a legend of Formula 1, and this moment was the perfect way to round up the festivities on the Balcony at the 2026 Festival of Speed. 

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