The flag dropped and racing at the 2023 Goodwood Revival was off! After a day of practice sessions, the first race of the weekend took place on Friday evening with the 1950s sportscars of the Freddie March Memorial Trophy battling into the dusk. Is there a more evocative sight than watching near 70-year-old machines racing with their lights ablaze as the sun sets over the West Sussex circuit?
Marques including Jaguar, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and Frazer Nash fill a grid that bring back to life the earliest days of the Goodwood Motor Circuit. The Freddie March Memorial Trophy is an hour-long race that features two drivers per car giving it the feel of a longer endurance race. It evokes the atmosphere of the Nine Hour Race that used to run from 15:00 to midnight.
In the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, the favourite for victory was the pole-sitting Jaguar C-type of Formula One world champion Jenson Button and Alex Buncombe, and at the end of the first lap Buncombe had opened up a dominant gap on the chasing field that suggested victory might be a foregone conclusion.
Things continued in the same vein as the race progressed and, by the time Buncombe handed over to Button, he had built a sizeable lead that looked insurmountable. However, things are rarely that predictable in historic motorsport and, even though Button took over with a healthy lead, the advantage would soon start to evaporate.
This is not the place for spoilers, though, so we’ll let you watch the video to find out whether that early advantage was enough of a safety buffer or not. And no matter the result, you’ll be able to indulge in the sights and sounds of a field full of beautiful 1950s racers battling wheel to wheel in the search of victory. If this is a sign of things to come throughout the 2023 Goodwood Revival, we’re in for another memorable weekend’s racing.
Video
Revival
Revival 2023
Freddie March Memorial Trophy
Full Race