Video: 9 innovative racing cars at the Festival of Speed

18th July 2023

Adam Wilkins

The rain that lashed down on Friday at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard may have made umbrellas a must, but it also made the perfectly suitable environment for the top-flight rally cars that took to the Hill. The latest generation of Rally1 Hybrid class cars were represented by the Ford Puma and Hyundai i20N, while Toyota’s GR Yaris H2 added hydrogen power to the mix.

Stepping back in time, the Williams FW14B made us nostalgic for Formula One racing of the early 1990s. It was driven up the hill by current owner, none other than Sebastian Vettel. Driving on one of the sunnier days in this clip, Vettel stopped en route for a donut and a wave to the crowd before powering the Camel-livered car to the top of the Hill.

We also spotlight two Porsche endurance racers, the current 963 that raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours last month, and its most recent predecessor, the 919 Hybrid.

Then there are several cars that are no strictly for racing, but push boundaries nonetheless. Step forward the drift-ready Audi S1 Hoonitron, the insane McMurtry Spéirling and the historic hydrogen record-breaker BMW H2R.