The unmissable balcony moments at the 2025 Festival of Speed

Thursday kicks things off by honouring the career of a man with a life-long association with Goodwood. Derek Bell is unquestionably a Le Mans legend, winning the iconic endurance race five times between 1975-1987, a total only beaten by his regular team-mate Jacky Ickx and ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen.

The scope of Bell’s career is equally as impressive. Before his exploits in sportscars, he also raced in F1 for the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. A West Sussex native, his first taste of racing came at the Goodwood Motor Circuit and it also proved to be the site of his first race victory. This July, Bell returns to Goodwood to celebrate 50 years since that first Le Mans success, driving the Mirage GR8 up the Hill before we all get to celebrate Britain’s greatest ever driver at La Sarthe when he graces the balcony.

The summer of ’95 returns in full swing on Festival of Speed Friday with a moment dedicated to four-time World Superbike Champion, Carl Fogarty. ‘Foggy’ claimed his second WSB crown in 1995 aboard the Ducati 916, taking 13 victories that season including three wins on home soil at both Donington and Brands Hatch. Fogarty was a dominant force atop the 916, and he will fire up the engine of his Championship-winning bike for the first time since that triumphant season to ride up the Hill on all four days of the Festival of Speed.

Joining Fogarty will be 40 bikes and several riders of the golden period of the 1990s, recapturing the magic of Foggymania, but it’s only on the Friday when the man himself will be present on the balcony. “It’s great that WorldSBK is getting a moment in the spotlight and fans can see the bikes up close in the paddocks before they take to the Hill,” Fogarty said, and we couldn’t agree more.

A central component of this year’s Festival of Speed is the tremendous celebration of 75 years of the F1 World Championship, so it’s no surprise that F1 takes up a substantial portion of this year’s programme. Things start on Saturday, where the spotlight will be on the Champions. At least six World Champion drivers will take part in what is guaranteed to be a remarkable moment in front of Goodwood House, driving their Championship-winning cars into the Turning Circle.

Car and driver pairings include the Lotus’ 72 and 79 driven by Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti respectively, Nigel Mansell reuniting with the Williams’ FW14B, and two McLaren victors — Alain Prost in the MP4/2B and Mika Häkkinen behind the wheel of his MP4/13. Sir Jackie Stewart will also be represented in the line-up by the presence of the Tyrrell 003 and 006. After parking their cars up in front of the House, the drivers will be welcomed by the Duke of Richmond before being interviewed on the balcony by former F1 driver Karun Chandhok. With so many Champions in one place, this is a special moment you won’t want to miss.

Formula 1 fever continues into Sunday, firstly with the running of a special Ultimate Grid batch of cars up the Hill. For one day only, this carefully curated moment on the Hill will showcase a host of legendary drivers and cars to emphasise the depth and range of machinery this great sport has produced.

As for the balcony, the final day of the 2025 Festival of Speed is reserved for four-time F1 World Champion Alain Prost. One of the greatest racing drivers of all time, Prost will climb into a McLaren MP4/4, the car with which he engaged in a fierce battle for the 1988 World Championship with team-mate Ayrton Senna. Senna prevailed that year, but memories of their great rivalry are some of the most enduring in all of F1’s 75-year history. The chassis he’ll be driving at the Festival of Speed is the very same that he drove to victory at the 1988 Mexican, Monaco and French Grands Prix and he will guide it up the Hill before appearing on the balcony. We can hardly think of a more fitting way to cap off the F1 75 celebrations, or indeed the 2025 Festival of Speed as a whole.

The 2025 Festival of Speed takes place on 10^th-13^th July. Friday and Saturday tickets are now sold out, but Thursday and limited Sunday tickets are still available.

Main photography by Toby Adamson and Harry Elliott.