What you can see first on Thursday at the 2026 Festival of Speed

The Central Feature is unveiled

Something that always stops you in your tracks at the Festival of Speed is sight of the Central Feature, the huge sculpture that rises into the skies above Goodwood House. This annual centrepiece has honoured some most famous brands in motorsport since its inception in 1997, with Ferrari being the first marque to celebrated with a Gerry Judah design. Recent years have seen the likes of MG and Gordon Murray be featured, and in 2026 the spotlight falls on Singer, the Californian brand known for its reimaginings of the Porsche 911.  

This towering tribute commemorates nearly two decades of Singer’s pursuit of automotive excellence, from its earliest restorations to some of its most ambitious creations, and it will be officially unveiled for the first time on Thursday morning. It is one of those unique moments that really kicks off the event, and a dazzling reminder that the Festival of Speed is as much about spectacle and atmosphere as it is about the machines themselves.

New cars are revealed

Year on year the Goodwood Hill welcomes a host of the very latest models, and while they’ll be present as part of the First Glance batch over all four days, there can only be one debut. Thursday at the Festival of Speed is the day these new cars will be seen up close and in action for the very first time.

In 2026, that means an extraordinary mix of fresh arrivals, from Denza’s UK launch line-up of the B5, D9 and ultra-powerful Z9GT, to Renault’s crowd-pleasing electric newcomers including the retro-inspired 4 E-Tech electric ‘plein sud’, the dramatic Renault 5 Turbo 3E and the cheerful Twingo E-Tech electric, plus the European debut of the astonishing 3,042PS Yangwang U9 Xtreme. With so many headline reveals and dynamic debuts packed into day one, Thursday gives you the first and best chance to see the future of the car industry up close and before anyone else. 

Ducati celebrates its centenary

One of the most iconic names in motorsport, Ducati turns 100 in 2026 and is celebrating this milestone with a huge presence at the Festival of Speed. Motorcycling royalty will take to the balcony of Goodwood House on Thursday, legends including Casey Stoner, Carl Fogarty,  WorldSBK stars Alvaro Bautista and Nicolò Bulega and many more will greet what’s sure to be an adoring crowd in a toast to Ducati's century old legacy and more than 50 world titles.

Thursday is the focal point of the festivities, but it will be a feast of Italian engineering over all four days of the event. Ducati’s new Collezione 100 — a limited-edition collection of ten bespoke bikes adorned with liveries inspired by the brand’s most memorable machines — will be on display at the Festival of Speed, the only place they’ll be seen together outside of Italy. A truly unmissable sight, whichever day you're attending, Ducati's presence at this year's event is set to be a high-octane tribute to motorcycling’s ultimate flagship brand. 

Formula 1 Fires Up

While Formula 1 will boast a roaring presence across all four days of the Festival of Speed, Thursday sets the pace for the weekend with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly kicking off proceedings at the wheel of the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix-winning E20. Reigning Constructors’ Champions McLaren begin its four-day celebration on Thursday, too, where you’ll be able to hear the roar of its 2023 challenger, the MCL60,  when the team’s reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli tackles the tarmac alongside a jaw-dropping fleet of heritage icons.  

Everything from Ayrton Senna’s final race-winning MP4/8 and the ultra-rare Lamborghini-engined MP4/8B, to James Hunt’s legendary 1976 Championship-winning M23 will be on show, as well as runs up the Hill by Formula 1 cars from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Williams. Thursday is the ideal time to see these modern and historic masterpieces up close or, if you're here across the weekend, to start shaping your ultimate four-day F1 itinerary.

Off-road action commences

If loose surfaces and tight bends are your style of racing, then on Thursday head straight to the Forest Rally Stage presented by Subaru. Tucked away within the woodlands at the top of the Hill, this stage puts you at the heart of the action as world-class drivers push both modern WRC machinery and historic icons to their absolute limits. If you’re attending the Festival of Speed on multiple days, use Thursday as the time to scout out the perfect viewing spot, check out the cars up close and map out the weekend's numerous signing sessions to ensure you snap a picture with your rally hero. 

The same can be applied to the Goodwood Action Sports (GAS) Arena. If you want to catch gravity-defying stunts without missing a second of track action, using opening day to get your bearings around this high-octane zone, including the brand-new parkour showcase, which adds a thrilling new dimension of precision footwork and creativity. World-class talent from BMX, mountain biking, freestyle motocross and moto trials promises an elite line-up of athletes, including an historic number of Team GB athletes on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games. The GAS Arena will be a hub of pure, unpredictable energy. 

FOS Future Lab opens its doors

While the groundbreaking innovations of FOS Future Lab presented by Randox will captivate audiences across all four days, Thursday is the first opportunity to see and interact with the technology shaping the future. Step into this interactive hub and you can explore extraordinary advancements in intelligent systems through hands-on experiences — from OLO Robotics, where guests are invited into a ‘robot playground’ to choose a machine and guide it across obstacles, to tech pioneer Emotiv, offering an equally astonishing spectacle where visitors can translate their own brain activity into real-time visualisations and create their very own ‘brain art’.

This imaginative glimpse into the future of neurotechnology is just a snapshot of the dazzling interactive displays at FOS Future Lab, so be sure to take some time on Thursday to explore a range of cutting-edge technology up close.  

Exclusive merchandise goes on sale

To secure the most coveted, limited-edition gear, make a pit stop at the Goodwood Shops scattered across the site. Perusing these hubs on Thursday gives you the best chance to get your hands on exclusive, high-quality event merchandise, including the 2026 Festival of Speed collection that features replica caps of Niki Lauda and James Hunt’s iconic helmets, and the Barry Sheene collection that celebrates the legendary rider with some of his most iconic images, plus the Singer baseball cap specially created to celebrate this year’s Central Feature. Browsing the shops on day one guarantees you grab your favourite pieces first, leaving you styled and ready for the rest of the day. 

Speaking of being ready, if you’re attending multiple days of the Festival of Speed then use Thursday to discover the fantastic food options available to recharge and refuel. If you are heading over to the Goodwood Bar & Grill you can look forward to a superb escape from the trackside roar with a beautifully curated lunch menu. Alternatively, if you are picking up a Deluxe Picnic Hamper from British Fine Foods, you can spot the collection points early, ensuring your fresh four-course al-fresco feast is ready to enjoy trackside whenever you want to find a spot on the grass. 

Tickets for the Festival of Speed are limited. Only Thursday admission remains but hospitality packages for all four days are available. Missed out on a ticket for Friday or Saturday? Find out how you can access our sold-out days with one of our new packages.

If you’re not already part of the GRRC, joining the Fellowship means you can save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoy a whole host of other on-event perks.  

Photography by Pete Summers, Kirsty Jayne Russell, Dominic James, Jayson Fong, Toby Adamson and Jordan Butters.