Stepping back in time

After a year away from our calendars, the countdown has begun to the return of the Goodwood Revival. It’s one of my favourite weekends of the year not just because of the opportunity to drive and see lots of different cars, but for the whole atmosphere of the event. Everyone gets in the spirit of the Fifties and Sixties with the clothes, food stalls, markets and displays dotted all around the circuit. The advertising says it’s like a magical step back in time and for once the ads don’t lie.

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have been invited to race a fabulously wide range of cars from the beautiful lightweight Jaguar E-Type and iconic AC Cobra to the little Austin A35s and Minis, from Fords – Fiestas, Escorts and Zodiac – to the mighty and utterly terrifying Can-Am McLaren M1A.

There are four things to remember when you head to Goodwood for the weekend: 1) there isn’t much run-off, so make sure you keep the car in one piece and give it back to its owner; 2) the owner wants the car to get a good result so you do have to push on, but the lack of run-off means you have to be smart; 3) if you drive a Sixties car and have a shunt, you’re likely to hurt yourself as they did in the Sixties because there isn’t much run-off; and 4) there isn’t much run-off!