Goodwood House and this year's Singer-themed central statueAlistair CharltonThe height of the British summer has a lot going for it. We have tennis at Wimbledon, Formula One at Silverstone, Glastonbury festival (most years, anyway…) and, biennially, we bask in a nationwide delusion that football really is coming home, either from the World Cup or the Euros.Then there are the car shows. Every summer brings more concours events than ever before, stretching from early spring right through to September, and while the immaculate lawns of Blenheim and Hampton Court palaces are a joy in their own right, Goodwood is the one not to miss.Founded in 1993 as a gathering of car fans in the garden of the then-Earl of March, the Goodwood Festival of Speed was a hit from day one. Demand for that first event was so great, that paper tickets issued at the gate quickly ran out, prompting organizers to use cloakroom tickets instead.F1 cars of various eras headed up the Goodwood Hill ClimbSince then Goodwood has expanded massively. Many in the industry describe it as the de facto British Motor Show, since manufacturers splash millions of enormous stands to display their latest models. But that's really just a side quest. The main event is the hill climb, which uses the one-mile driveway of the Duke of Richmond's house – I know, so British – lined by straw bails and weaving its way by packed grandstands, champagne-soaked hospitality decks, and a perilous flint stone wall.AdvertisementAdvertisementHang around long enough and you'll catch a glimpse of Formula One cars of almost every era screaming by. The pre-war icon The Beast of Turin will probably make an appearance too, along with priceless sports racers like Ferrari 250 GTOs and McLaren F1s, often driven by either their owners and/or world famous racers. Camouflage prototypes head up the hill too, drumming up attention ahead of going on sale, and there are jaw-dropping set pieces – this year, the trio of Ford GT40s that dominated the podium of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans roared up the hill in formation.The current record – and one that is unlikely to ever be beaten – is a scant 39.08 seconds, posted in 2022 by the electric McMurtry Spéirling.Lamborghinis on the Cartier lawn at GoodwoodDrag yourself away from the hill and head to the Cartier lawn, where a concours never fails to show off some of the greatest cars of all time. There are no ropes, no barriers – nothing stopping you from walking right up to Lamborghini Miuras, Koenigseggs, classic Ferraris, vintage commercial vans and whatever else complies with that year's themes. For 2026, five Miuras sat in a circle; for 2025 the lawn hosted a collection of Bugatti Veyrons. Something for everyone.Wander up past Goodwood House and you'll find the paddocks, where machinery awaits their turn up the hill. This year you'll have stumbled across a collection of Ferrari F1 cars and a Ferrari 330 P4 – which you might recognize as the most expensive car in the Forza Horizon 6 video game. These cars are regularly fired up and driven out to the hill, giving onlookers a chance to see, at close quarters, famous drivers set up, jump in and head off to put on a show.AdvertisementAdvertisementEvery year sees a car company honored by a central statue in front of the house. This year it was Singer, the US Porsche specialist, which dangled three cars in dramatic fashion over our heads – pictured above.The 2026 central statue featured three cars from Singer, the Porsche specialistFor those with the right contacts and the right passes hanging from their necks, plush hospitality is never far away. McLaren's setup is particularly good, discretely hidden behind the public stand and available to pre-booked customers, media and partners. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce shuttled its guests between the Goodwood show and its factory next door, Ferrari had an electric Luce hidden deep within its stand, away from public view, and Porsche operated an entire restaurant for its nearest and dearest.But that isn't to say this is a show of haves and have-nots. A general access ticket gets you everything you need (although grandstand seating costs extra), and there are campsites too, for when you realise the scale of Festival of Speed can easily turn it into a multi-day event.Get there early, is my advice. Arrive at 7am, walk as far as you can before the crowds take over. Head up to the woods and watch some action in the rally stage, check out the car parks – which are often packed with enough exotica to make Pebble Beach blush – stroll through the paddocks, and stop off at a champagne bar for refreshment.Scuderia Ferrari's tent featured several F1 cars from over the decadesAn addition this year – or at least something new to me – was the Fan Zone. Located a short walk from the house, this included a stage, a huge TV screen and a lot of seating, much of it shaded. Famous faces from motorsport and automotive took turns being interviewed on the stage, while the screen showed a live stream of the hill climb action. It looked like a great place to get out of the baking July sunshine (or the lashing rain, as Goodwood can also be subject to).AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Goodwood Festival of Speed is great for journalists, too. Although open to the public, Thursday is considered the media day and is when brands reveal new cars. This year saw BYD's Denza brand make a splash, while the Audi Nuvolari, McLaren 788HS, Jaguar Type 01, Red Bull RB17 and Zenvo Aurora Tur all made newsworthy appearances. Over at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, some media were invited to drive the new electric Range Rover Sport across an obstacle course that included driving through an airplane fuselage.The three Ford GT40s that dominated the podium of the 1966 24 Hours of Le MansAs I hope this taster has demonstrated, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has masses to offer every sort of car and motorsport fan. Just make sure to prepare for the weather (Whatever it may have in store), and familiarise yourself with the event map in advance so you don't miss anything. And if you can't attend in person? Goodwood's YouTube channel hosts live coverage across the entire four-day event.This article was originally published on Forbes.com