Drifting through the snow: the 76th Goodwood Members’ Meeting reviewed

A second influx of wintry weather swept across the UK over the weekend, bringing with it icy conditions and horrendous travel delays.

But the so-called Beast from the East II didn’t stop play at the 76th Goodwood Members’ Meeting in Chichester, so we decided to brave the slippery roads and head over to the classic car-filled racing event.

The exclusive meeting is held annually and features some of the most iconic - and expensive - racing cars on the planet. The event is primarily open to those who are either part of the invitation-only Goodwood Road Racing Club (GRRC) or members of the £39 per year Fellowship programme.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Those who take part in the races are GRRC members and each one is in possession of a truly eccentric sports or racing car - from Rover SD1 3500 touring cars to ear-splitting Formula 5000 single seaters.

One of the headline racers at the meeting was Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 935, which is commonly referred to as Moby Dick because of its massive whale-like bodywork.

But unlike at the Festival of Speed, where historic cars parade up the Goodwood Hillclimb, drivers push their multimillion-pound classics to the limits at the Members’ Meeting.

A $23m Ferrari 250 GT SWB [pictured top], dubbed the Breadvan, racing wheel-to-wheel with a Jaguar E-Type around the 2.4-mile Goodwood circuit is a sight to behold, with both cars drifting for the majority of the lap.

Then there were the century-old grand prix cars, which were thrashed around the circuit as if they had just left the production line. Seeing vintage racers driven at the limit, instead of being tucked away in a museum, will surely delight car and motorsport fans.

Part of the event’s charm is the circuit itself and the way the attendees dress. The track is lined with white picket fences and historic brand logos, making you feel as though you’re at a motor race in the 1950s. There’s also a recommended dress code, where ticket holders are encouraged to wear period outfits and liberal amounts of tweed.

While fans were entertained with racing cars drifting around the snow-lined circuit, the event also paid tribute to the late motor racing journalist Henry Hope-Frost, who passed away on 8 March following a motorcycle accident.

To remember the racing personality, drivers and visitors donned stickers and badges with the word Fever written on it - a term Hope-Frost frequently used when commentating on races.

It seemed fitting to celebrate his life with a medley of stunning racing cars, which gave fans a thrilling afternoon of competition.

If you’re a lover of all things motorsport, the Goodwood Members’ Meeting is a truly unique racing event that shouldn’t be missed.