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Driving Goodwood CircuitBookmark site for later

This page describes what its like if you have some sort of Goodwood driving day. The famous historic track is covered corner by corner, describing the general layout of the circuit and the best ways and critical points for getting good lap times. Its a real test to see if you can apply any of these ideas in practice on a track day, after reading about them in theory. Of course the Goodwood circuit looks very different when you're driving it a foot or so off the ground, as against seeing a map or pictures of it !
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Introduction

Goodwood Circuit is one of the longest established tracks, which having been very famous as a venue just after the second world war, then went through what you could call a quiet period after 1966 and has only become active again in the last 10 years, with the Goodwood Revival and the Festival of Speed, which takes place close by in the Goodwood estate.

To drive Goodwood circuit rapidly always required an element of risk-taking as the track is very fast with one somewhat artificial chicane and if you are there on a driving day, you'll find the corners deceptively tricky, although once you have mastered the right technique your lap times will rocket.

Madgwick

There are 2 bends to negotiate on this first combination of corners after the start and two lines into it, depending on your level of skill that you develop during your driving experience. One line is wide and requires turn and braking at the same time, while the other line is straighter braking and separate turn-in.

Some drivers then take a gradual line around the first apex, while others cut tight across it. However, its the second apex that holds the key to fast exit speed for the following very fast straight which is key to good lap times at Goodwood. The challenge is to remain on a smooth racing line, while negotiating several bumps and ridges which can confuse your view and assessment of the track.

Fordwater

This is a very fast right hander which you will probably end up taking flat out in many of the cars that you might use on a driving experience at Goodwood. The technique is to arrive on the left, trim the apex and leave on the left. It sounds and is straightforward, being probably the easiest corner on the track, which is more than can be said for the next corner.

St. Mary's

This corner has a 'history', including probably ending Stirling Moss' career and requires the utmost concentration and combination of driving skills all applied at the right time.

The entry is a fast right hander which you approach having been flat down the previous straight. With experience you can brake gradually and late for this corner, although that will take a few laps of Goodwood to achieve. The real braking takes place after this bend and because of its downhill you might find your brakes locking.

The key thing next is to have the power on smoothly to go around St. Mary's because the camber falls away and you need plenty of control to get a good tight exit from the apex. The car will naturally run wide on the camber which is quite unnerving, although there's plenty of fields to run into on the right exit.

Lavant

This corner is basically two right handers that require a disciplined line to get a fast exit from the second. There's a fast approach on the left braking down to the first quite open right hand corner, which you can carry with plenty of speed, turning in straight across the apex.

After this you need to be on the power and aiming to straighten out the open right hander that follows. With the right line, you can accelerate all the way through this part of the Goodwood circuit as you take a smooth line across the exit apex to give you maximum speed down the very long Lavant straight. Not that difficult, but actually crucial to good times around Goodwood.

Woodcote

This is another double right handed corner where the aim is to drive smoothly through them both, but this can only be accomplished on the right line, with experience and practice. The first right hander can be straightened out with even braking ready for the more critical second corner, which is again one where you can aim straight across the apex, under good power, once you've got the turn in point correct.

Exit speed is not that crucial because the next corner is the chicane. Line is more important.

Chicane

This chicane cannot be straightened out much as the designers of Goodwood have placed things to hit on the inside of the initial right hander and the exit left hander, to stop corner cutting ! The key line is quite close to both apexes.

Just concentrate on a fast exit into the straight, rather than trying to do anything clever on the way in.

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