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Year of the Tiger

Festival of Speed 2022

June - Pete Fairhurst

A field of people watching a low white sports car with blue and red livery travelling at speed
Back at Goodwood for the annual celebration of motorsport's past, present, and future at the Festival of Speed. This year was incredibly busy compared to 2021's rather muted festival. The venue was packed to capacity even - on the Friday - and it felt like there was a lot more variety in the marques and vendors in attendance.

It seemed to me like there was perhaps over a hundred new or rare cars revealed here to the public this year for the firs time, compared to what felt like maybe a couple of dozen last July. A particular low-light of 2021 for us Great Unwashed was being blanket denied entry to an otherwise-accessible and very much on display (albeit down a side-alley) Aston Martin Valkyrie. Not so for 2022, where it screamed up the hill in front of massive crowds across the 4 days.

On the way back to our hotel, running relays down the M3 past Portsmouth with a bright red GT-R was also a highlight; two complete strangers spontaneously enjoying each other's company through a quick exchange of a thumbs up, and then appreciating each other's sports cars for a few miles of shared road. A quick wave and a flash of the lights as we left the motorway - plus the obligatory final blast of exhaust roar - and we went our separate ways.

We're already looking forward to 2023.
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