Goodwood recently announced the first of a number of MotoGP teams that will attend the Festival of Speed July 13-16. Riders from the current grid will be joined by an incredible line-up of motorcycle Grand Prix Champions and legends to take on the famous hillclimb.
As MotoGP heads into its summer break, the teams will travel to Goodwood to take their place at the Festival of Speed, ahead of the British Grand Prix just three weeks later.
Grand Prix motorcycles will make up the entirety of the 2023 Festival of Speed motorbike batch – from the truly historic to the very latest machinery, as the attending factory teams are set to bring and run their 2023 Championship bikes.
Those already confirmed to join are:
Ducati Lenovo Team
GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3
LCR Honda
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
In addition to the MotoGP teams, Moto2TM team GASGAS Aspar will attend with British rider Jake Dixon.
All the teams will be located in the Ballroom Paddock, a stone’s throw from the Drivers’ Club – giving fans and enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to see the bikes being prepared by the teams, before taking to the Hill with a host of the sport’s legends.
The list of legends already confirmed include Àlex Crivillé, Casey Stoner, Freddie Spencer, Giacomo Agostini, Jorge Lorenzo, Kenny Roberts Jnr, Kevin Schwantz, Mick Doohan, Randy Mamola and Wayne Gardner; holding a truly staggering 35 World Championships between them.
The Festival of Speed has always been the place to see motorsport megastars. In 2022, we were joined by Giacomo Agostini as he celebrated his 80th birthday, as well as Kenny Roberts, Kevin Schwantz and Mick Doohan, who took part in a truly exceptional moment as Wayne Rainey rode his 1992-championship-winning Yamaha YZR500 for the first time since his career-ending accident in 1993.
Motorcycles have always been an integral part of the Festival of Speed, with seven-time motorcycle World Champion and 1964 F1 World Champion John Surtees organizing the motorcycle entry at the very first event in 1993. As the Festival of Speed celebrates its 30th anniversary, we are hugely excited to present such an epic celebration of MotoGP.
“We’re very proud to announce this celebration of MotoGP at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s an honor for us to play a key role in the 30th anniversary and be invited to showcase the best of our sport, sharing the stage with our fellow icons of speed. It will be something truly unique, and I want to thank our teams, riders and legends for showing such enthusiasm in attending. We hope we will be able to put on an incredible show for the fans – and for the Duke of Richmond! We are always honored by his unwavering passion for our sport. Thank you for the invitation!
“We have recently celebrated the 1000th FIM Grand Prix, and next season will mark the 75th year since motorcycle racing became the first motorsport World Championship in 1949. At the same time, 2023 is a different kind of landmark year, with more MotoGP than ever as the Tissot Sprint debuts across the calendar. At this 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,” stated Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO.
The Duke of Richmond, founder of the Festival of Speed, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that the Festival of Speed will host its biggest-ever MotoGP celebration this year. 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.”
Details of additional teams joining the celebration at the Festival of Speed will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information about the event and its festivities, click HERE.
