What is the Sussex Trophy?

A race open to World Championship sportscars of a type that raced between 1955-’60, the Sussex Trophy stars machines designed to be as eye-catching as they are fast. The popularity of this contest is reflected in that it has been on the race card for all but one Goodwood Revival since the first in 1998.

In the original period of the Motor Circuit, the inaugural Sussex Trophy was won by Salavdori. Things were certainly going his way that day late in the summer of 1956 when he crossed the line first driving a Cooper T41 in a race for 1.5-litre single-seaters.

In later years, the Sussex Trophy — named after the Goodwood Motor Circuit’s home county — took on various different formats, variously as a race for sportscars up to 1.1 litres and, for the final few years up to 1966, as a multi-class GT race featuring the likes of the AC Cobra and Ferrari 250 GTO.

Goodwood hosted the final round of the World Sportscar Championship in both 1958 and ’59, and both were officially known as the Sussex Trophy. In those days, sportscar racing was the equal of single-seater racing for spectator appeal. Stirling Moss won both of these four-hour fixtures at the wheel of Aston Martins.

In 1958, Moss shared DBR1 with Tony Brooks, but despite their win at Goodwood the pair were unable to fend off Ferrari’s Championship win, the Italians having arrived with a significant points lead.

It was a different story 12 months later, however. In 1959, Moss was once again part of the winning team, this time co-driving with Jack Fairman and Carroll Shelby to bring their DBR1 home in first place. The difference this time? They were able to claim the Championship as well as the race win.

In the Revival era, the Sussex Trophy most closely resembles the 1958 running of the race. That means we witness cars such as the DBR2 going toe-to-toe with contemporary rivals, such as Lister Knobblys, Jaguar D-Types and Lola Mk1s. 

The grid always features an exquisite line-up of curvy 1950s sportscars that are as dynamically deft as they are easy on the eye. With limited grip from skinny tyres, drivers manage power and slip angles with over-sized steering wheels, giving an almost balletic display of car control in close quarters with each other. 

Last year the race was won by the Jaguar D-Type ‘long nose’ of Chris Ward, and we can’t wait to see what happens in 2026 when some of the prettiest cars of the Goodwood Revival take us back to a stunning era of sportscar action.

Tickets for the 2026 Goodwood Revival are now on sale. If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today and save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.  

Photography by Jjordan Butters and Pete Summers.