Gallery: SpeedWeek screams to life

It’s so surreal to emerge from the pedestrian tunnel to a row of dew-glazed Jaguar XJR sportscars, and wander around the paddocks to see Cobras part-emerged from their car covers. It’s also odd to see the paddocks so sparsely populated, devoid of the eager early-arrivers we’d normally see of a morning at a Goodwood race meeting.

As cars aren’t arranged by class but rather, by owner, in the paddocks at SpeedWeek, there are some curious combinations. An Audi R8 GT2 sits only a few cars down from a 250 GT SWB. The variety in the line-up of cars could match the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard but one way or another over the course of this weekend, most of these cars will be hitting the Motor Circuit in anger. First out this morning? A 2009 Ferrari F60 F1 car, followed by a Ferrari 388 GT3. Followed by a 488 Challenge… And a Monza, 812 GTS (the only one in the UK), an F8 Spider, an F8 Tributo and a Roma. Not a bad sight on a Friday morning, wouldn’t you agree?

For now, most of them can enjoy a lay in as we all rub our eyes and sip our teas and coffees in preparation for the day, and weekend, ahead. First on-track are the Edwardian monsters of the S.F. Edge Trophy, and the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s Grand Prix and voiturette cars of the Goodwood Trophy for their practice sessions.

Photography by Pete Summers and Jordan Butters.