|
Goodwood is, to my mind, the most classic circuit in the UK. Before I lived in the UK, it was the circuit that I most wanted to drive. Because it was legendary and it was fast and because it is where the Revival Festival is staged. It was, as many UK circuits were, the perimeter road of an airfield. After the heady days of the 40's and 50's culminating with Stirling Moss's career-ending crash, it lay unused for several decades until the Earl of March brought it back to life with the best race meeting on the planet - The Goodwood Revival Festival. Really, it's true.
Goodwood is just north of Chichester on the South Coast of England. It is about 1 hour from London if you travel at midnight, otherwise about 1.5 hours, and about 2.5 hours if you're going to the Festival of Speed or the Revival Festival.
For an Elise driver, it is fast and flowing, apart from that silly chicane. Madgwick is the best corner, complete with double apex and mid-corner bump. If you're really brave like those classic Mk 2 Jag drivers, you can drift all the way around. Perhaps in an Elan, but not in an Elise. The next turn has a very fast, very long turn in, followed by a tight-ish left hander. It was in between these that Stirling Moss (if he could remember it) had his huge smash.
Lavant is fantastic if you control your enthusiasm in the first part, aim for the outside between the turns and then nail it all the way from the outside kerb, unabated through the 2nd half, and continue the acceleration all the way down the not-very straight. You should see 130+mph in a 111R.
Then there's the funny stuff, fast turns taken under brakes, followed by the irritating chicane. Remember to wave to the fans as you pass the pits ready to test your nerve again in Madgwick. Very fast, very smooth, with high grin factor, but little in the way of Bedford-style sideways antics.
Top tip.
Have the steering wheel fairly straight ahead when you hit the bump in Madgwick, or you might give yourself a nasty fright. Remember that Goodwood has little or no run-off room - so don't make errors.
Goodwood is perhaps the most strict venue for noise restrictions. The council monitor noise results and the circuit must be closed for a period if a threshold is breached. This is by far the main cause for stoppages at Goodwood. They perform static noise tests upon arrival and three microphones are located around the track (start/finish, Fordwater, St Marys).
Facilities are atmospheric rather than comprehensive, but the sandwich van is very good. Standing above the pit lane affords a view of the entire circuit and surround.
|
