Goodwood Festival of Speed 2015: Full driver and rider line-up revealed as Valentino Rossi prepares to make his debut
Over 110 F1, Le Mans, MotoGP and Superwibe stars will be in action at the hillclimb event next weekend
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Your support makes all the difference.An updated line-up of drivers and rider has been released for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with a number of current Formula 1 drivers set to appear across all three main days complimented by a huge number of motorsport legends, two-wheeled greats and plenty more.
The star attraction in the build-up to this year’s event, which takes place across the weekend of 25-28 June, has been the Goodwood debut of MotoGP star Valentino Rossi. The nine-time world champion will arrive at the hillclimb on Sunday morning, much to the anticipation of the awaiting fans that will flood into the West Sussex venue from 6am.
However, the full line-up can now reveal a wealth of names from the sport, some who have grown into Goodwood regulars and some only occasional visitors, and those attending any of the action will undoubtedly leave satisfied.
Current Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg will be joined by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren’s Jenson Button, the 2007 and 2009 world champions respectively. Williams driver Felipe Massa will also venture to England just week after the Austrian Grand Prix, where he will be joined by the team’s current test and reserve driver Susie Wolff.
There are plenty of former F1 stars among the field too, with Sir Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill and John Surtees all returning for another year, while the greatest driver to never win an F1 world championship, Sir Stirling Moss, will also grace the famous hillclimb.
A number of World Endurance Championship drivers will be recovered from a gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours last weekend just in time to make an appearance, with Porsche’s Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley, Audi’s Andre Lotterer and Toyota’s Anthony Davidson set to continue the LMP1 battle at Goodwood. Nissan will also be in attendance with Jann Mardenborough, Max Chilton and Marc Gene all in action – though the latter will be driving with the Ferrari F1 team – while Olympic cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy will be driving his Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 up the hill, eager to put his high-speed shunt last year behind him.
From the world of four wheels to two, and joining Rossi will be a host of famous names including 23-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness, fresh from winning the Senior TT last week. He’ll be joined by fellow road racers Bruce Anstey and James Hillier, both members of the exclusive five-man ‘132mph club’ at the TT.
British MotoGP star Scott Redding will also fly over from the Assen GP to feature on Sunday, while there’ll be a treat for bike fans when two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner takes this year’s Honda machine up the hill.
One name who many will recognise from across the Atlantic will be that of Ken Block’s, with the Gymkhana legend, rally driver and creator of DC Shoes set for two must-see drivers. One will see Block tackle the hill in his Gymkhana Ford Focus RS, while the other will see him behind the wheel of the 950hp 'Hoonicorn' Ford Mustang – definitely not one to be missed.
Rob Millen will return too with his ‘Pikes Peak’ Toyota Celica, and Goodwood regulars will remember his incredible attack on the hill in 2012 when he challenged the all-time record set by Nick Heidveld, only to come unstuck on the run up to the Flint Wall and smash into the hay bales.
With over 110 professional drivers and riders both past and present – including the Goodwood host Lord March – set to engage with the fans like no other event in the world, 2015 promises to be one of the best Festival of Speed’s ever.
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