Goodwood is proud to support the 2011 National Motorsport Week (25 June-3 July). National Motorsport Week to culminate at the Festival of Speed. A wealth of British drivers and riders in action at Goodwood, including the last four British Formula One Champions.
In only ten days UK National Motorsport Week 25 June-3 July gets underway, celebrating Britain’s dominant role in global motor racing with a week of activities culminating at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed 30 June-3 July – Once again the world’s greatest celebration of motor sport and car culture, where almost every motor sport discipline is honoured and can be seen in action.
The 2011 National Motorsport Week is an exciting partnership between the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), the Motor Sports Association (MSA) and Goodwood, with this annual event being switched to an earlier date in high summer to incorporate the Festival of Speed.
The UK remains the world leader of motor sport on all fronts, and to help illustrate the point, Goodwood will have the last four British-born Formula One World Champions – Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell, in action on the challenging 1.16-mile Festival hillclimb.
In addition, a who’s who of British motor sport talent, past and present, will also be at Goodwood, including Indy 500 winners Dario Franchitti and 2011 victor Dan Wheldon, F1 and Le Mans legends Derek Bell and Martin Brundle, two-wheeled competitors Guy Martin, Leon Haslam and John McGuinness, rally stars Jimmy McRae and Kris Meeke, circuit racers Anthony Reid and Steve Soper, F1 influencers Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, plus UK heroes John Surtees and Stirling Moss.
In addition to the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival, the UK hosts more than 5,000 motor sport fixtures sanctioned by the MSA governing body every year, including rounds of every major FIA World Championship, providing fans with an unrivalled opportunity to experience the excitement of live top class action. These not only provide the public with nationwide events to enjoy, but also a chance to participate in a raft of different disciplines, from sprints and hillclimbs to autotests and rallycross.
The UK is also in pole position when it comes to the cutting edge motor sport industry and it’s no surprise that eight out of the 12 current F1 teams are based in this country, with seven of these teams appearing at the Festival of Speed. The MIA figures indicate that around 4,500 companies are involved in the British motor sport and performance engineering Industry, boasting an annual turnover of £6 billion of which £3.6 billion is exported.
National Motorsport Week has run each year since 2006, with the valued backing of the MSA’s affiliated motor clubs. Its aim is to attract wider media coverage, which in turn introduces new fans, competitors, spectators, organisers, engineers, journalists, photographers and much needed marshals to the planet’s most thrilling sport.
Goodwood Festival of Speed founder the Earl of March says “we are truly delighted to have the 2011 National Motorsport Week culminating at the Festival of Speed, as the event brings together many of the finest cars, motorcycles, drivers, riders and teams that Britain has to offer, showcasing the extraordinary motor sport talent and prominence of this small island in the world of motor racing.”