75th Anniversary of the Formula One World Championship

Goodwood has revealed its theme for the 2025 Festival of Speed, taking inspiration from Formula One. ‘The Winning Formula - Champions and Challengers’ will celebrate 75 years of the Formula One World Championship and its leadership in innovation, speed, technology and design.

Drivers, cars, designers and personalities from the past, present and future of F1 will appear at one of the biggest events in the motoring calendar for a weekend of celebration. Further details of who is set to turn up will be revealed in January.

While the first Formula One race was held in 1946, it was not until 1950 that the World Championship for Drivers (as it was known then) was established. Before its creation, each race was a standalone affair and carried huge distinction individually. It was then decided to combine a driver’s performance across a whole season to establish who was the best of the best.

125 years of competition

The weekend will also honour 125 years of competition and innovation that have created motorsport as we know it today. Events like the Gordon Bennett Cup and the Thousand Mile Trial both celebrate their 125th anniversaries, while the 100th anniversary of the World Manufacturers’ Championship also occurs.

It won’t just be the world of F1 being celebrated at the event. Competitors from the World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship, Formula E, IndyCar, Nascar, Dakar, Moto GP and World Superbikes will all be a part of ‘The Winning Formula’ themed weekend.

A significant anniversary for Formula 1

The Duke of Richmond, founder of the Festival of Speed: “The Festival of Speed is uniquely placed to reflect on motorsport’s rich history and heritage and I am delighted that in 2025 we will do this through the lens of ‘The Winning Formula’. Individuals, teams, vehicles and championships have always embodied this mindset to push the boundaries of achievement, never more so than in Formula 1, which next year celebrates the 75th anniversary of its World Championship. Having recently celebrated 75 years of motorsport at Goodwood, we know what a significant anniversary this is for Formula 1, and we’re looking forward to paying our own tribute as part of the worldwide festivities.”

Karun Chandhok: “The team at Goodwood always do such a fantastic job of bringing together the most incredible cars, bikes, drivers, riders and teams. I can’t wait to see what and who they have lined up for ‘The Winning Formula’ and I’m hoping they might even let me get behind the wheel of something special!”

When is the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed?

The Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place Thursday 10 - Sunday 13 July 2025. Tickets are available here.

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Goodwood