The Festival of MotoGP: Goodwood FoS attracts current GP teams and bikes, and past champions

This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed welcomes some of the current crop of MotoGP teams, who will take to the famous hillclimb alongside a star-studded line-up of legends.

Since the July 13-16 event doesn’t clash with the MotoGP race calendar this year, Red Bull KTM, GasGas Tech3, and the Ducati factory team have already confirmed their attendance. The GasGas Aspar Moto2 team will also be there, with Brit rider Jake Dixon.

Grand Prix bikes will make up the entirety of 2023’s two-wheelers – from historic race bikes to the latest 300bhp MotoGP machinery.

“We have recently celebrated the 1000th Grand Prix, and next season will mark the 75th year since motorcycle racing became the first motorsport world championship in 1949,” said Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, the organiser of the MotoGP series.

“At the intersection of history and innovation, the 2023 Festival of Speed is the perfect opportunity to celebrate both the rich heritage of the sport and the heroes of the incredible spectacle we’re enjoying every weekend in this modern era.”

In addition to current MotoGP teams and riders, historic racing machines will date as far back as 1949 – with riders taking to the famous 1.9-mile Chichester track from across the history of the sport.

Already confirmed to attend are Alex Crivillé, Casey Stoner, Freddie Spencer, Giacomo Agostini, Jorge Lorenzo, Kenny Roberts Junior, Kevin Schwantz, Mick Doohan, Randy Mamola and Wayne Gardner; who hold a staggering 37 world championship titles between them.

“I am absolutely thrilled that the Festival of Speed will host its biggest ever MotoGP celebration this year,” The Duke of Richmond, founder of the Festival of Speed, said. “My thanks to Dorna Sports, the teams and riders for including us in their busy schedules – it means so much to everyone at Goodwood and all our fans that they will be here to celebrate with us.”

All the teams will be in the Ballroom Paddock, a stone’s throw from the Drivers’ Club – giving fans the opportunity to see the bikes being prepared by the teams, before taking to the hill with a host of legends onboard.

Goodwood has a long history of celebrating two-wheeled sports with seven-time motorcycle world champion and 1964 F1 world champion John Surtees organising the motorcycle entry at the very first event in 1993.

Last year the festival was joined by Giacomo Agostini as he celebrated his 80th birthday, and history was made as Wayne Rainey rode his 1992-championship-winning Yamaha YZR500 for the first time since his career-ending accident in 1993 that left him paralysed from the chest down.

“It felt like an old friend,” Rainey said at the time. “It was always a challenge to race the bike at that level, fighting for race wins and championships, but being here 30 years later, being able to get on the bike and ride it up the hill in a nice, easy gentle setting is fantastic.”

Goodwood tickets are selling fast but for those not lucky enough to attend in person, the entire festival will be broadcast live on the Goodwood Festival of Speed YouTube channel.