Goodwood will be celebrating the remarkable career of John Surtees during this year’s Goodwood Revival event. Surtees remains the only person in history to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels. The event is scheduled to take place from the 6th to 8th of September. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Surtees’ Formula 1 World Championship win. Additionally, he would have celebrated his 90th birthday this coming Sunday, 11th February.
John Surtees was a legendary motorsport champion who won seven motorcycle World Championships, the 1964 Formula 1 World Championship, and the 1966 Can-Am Championship. A tribute will be held in his honour, featuring a range of vehicles including motorcycles, sports cars, and GTs. The 81st Members’ Meeting in April will showcase Can-Am cars, as Surtees won the inaugural championship with his team in 1966. Goodwood was where he tested a car for the first time in 1959 and made his four-wheeled debut in a Formula Junior Cooper in 1960.
The 1960 season was truly remarkable for this individual. In March of that year, he participated in his first race on four wheels. Just two months later, he made his Formula 1 debut, followed by scoring his first podium with a second-place finish at the British Grand Prix in July. In August, he achieved his first pole position at the Portuguese Grand Prix. All of this occurred while balancing his commitments on two wheels, where he won both the 350cc and 500cc World Championships for MV Agusta.!
John Surtees became a Patron of the first Festival of Speed in 1993. He organized the motorcycle classes for the event and rode his 1952 Vincent up the Hill. Surtees entertained a new generation of Goodwood motorsport fans and was fiercely competitive in the RAC TT Celebration.
In March 2017, Surtees passed away, and the 75th Members’ Meeting paid a moving tribute to him. The tribute included a minute’s noise and a commemorative lap led by The Duke of Richmond in a Team Surtees Lola T70.
We honour the achievements of a talented driver and rider and celebrate the life and legacy of a great friend of Goodwood.
Doug Nye, motorsport historian, co-founder of the Festival of Speed and friend of Goodwood, said: “John Surtees was simply unique. Despite having spent my entire adult life amongst such ultra-competitive racers as Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart and many more, he was the most competitive personality of them all! He won motorcycling World titles seven times, and the Formula 1 Driver’s World Championship once. On a motorcycle he was magic to watch, just man and machine merged into one – while in a car he took no prisoners yet was still visibly a master – a total perfectionist. From first sampling a racing car at Goodwood in 1959-60 he became one of our first Festival of Speed Patrons in 1993. He was – on two wheels and four – a total star.”
The Duke of Richmond, said: “As an eight-time World Champion and the only man to achieve the honour on both two and four wheels, John Surtees was not only a huge figure in the history of the Goodwood motor circuit, but also played a big part in the establishment of our modern events. Along with Stirling Moss, John was a Patron of the Festival of Speed and was deeply involved from the very beginning. More than anything, he was an exceptional racer and a great friend.”
“The Surtees tribute will be taking place throughout the weekend. Here is the full race schedule, which is set to run exclusively on sustainable fuels!
Don’t miss the Goodwood Revival, happening from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th September 2024. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable weekend filled with classic cars, thrilling races, and exciting entertainment. Join the fun and experience the nostalgia of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Book your tickets now and be a part of this iconic event.
Tickets & Hospitality: Tickets for the Goodwood Revival can be purchased starting from £72 within our early bird window before 30 April at; goodwood.com or by calling the Ticket Office on +44 (0)1243 755055.
Goodwood provides the perfect venue for a great day out, entertaining clients or celebrating a special occasion. Email hospitality@goodwood.com or call +44 (0)1243 755054.
For more news of Motoring Events here on the Motoring Echo, click HERE
And for general Motoring News and articles here on the MOTORING ECHO, click HERE
Thanks for visiting the MOTORING ECHO today. We hope you will revisit again soon for the latest Motoring News daily
Could you please mention us to your Friends, Family and Colleagues? Thanks!
