Mercedes-Benz at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (10 to 13 July 2025)

Goodwood Festival of Speed (10 to 13 July 2025): The largest motorised garden party in the world

Mercedes-Benz Classic brought no fewer than five Silver Arrows from different decades to this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. One of the highlights on the 1.86-kilometre Hill Climb past Goodwood House was the drive of the two Formula 1 racing cars W 196 R (1955) and Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance (2022). Both vehicles were part of the high-class field of cars celebrating the 75th anniversary of Formula 1. The first Formula 1 race of the newly created World Championship took place on 13 May 1950 in Silverstone, Great Britain. 

Georges Massing, Vice President Digital Vehicle & Mobility at Mercedes-Benz Group AG, was also fascinated by Mercedes-Benz Classic's presentation. He attended the 2025 Nucleus conference as part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Here, some of the most important thought leaders from the automotive industry and technology discussed the future of mobility.

“No other event in the world brings together the future and heritage of automotive technology as closely as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Nucleus event. This offers what we urgently need today: inspiration for innovation, knowledge exchange and confidence in the future. All of this is reflected in our company values –since 1886. Heritage Creates Future.” 
Georges Massing, Vice President Digital Vehicle & Mobility, Mercedes-Benz Group AG

Equally spectacular was the drive of what is arguably the world's most valuable racing car duo: a Formula 1 racing car W 196 R together with a 300 SLR racing sports car (W 196 S). Juan Manuel Fangio became Formula 1 world champion in 1954 and 1955 with the W 196 R. Mercedes-Benz won the Sports Car World Championship in 1955 with the 300 SLR. The duo was complemented by a W 196 R with streamlined bodywork on the loading bed of the Mercedes-Benz racing car rapid transport vehicle “Blaues Wunder” (1955).

In January 2025, a Mercedes-Benz W 196 R with streamlined bodywork was auctioned for 51.55 million euros – the highest price ever achieved by a Grand Prix racing car at auction. The 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” is even the most valuable car in the world and was sold in 2022 for €135 million. A Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Roadster has never been offered at auction.

The fleet of Silver Arrows was furthermore complemented by the Grand Prix racing car and thus Formula 1 forerunner Mercedes-Benz W 125 (1937), the 300 SL racing sports car (W 194, 1952) and the Group C racing prototype C 11 (1990).

Three Mercedes-Benz Classic brand ambassadors took over the cockpits of the classic racing cars: Formula 1 safety car driver Bernd Mayländer, five-time DTM champion Bernd Schneider and ex-Formula 1 racing driver Karl Wendlinger. The Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance racing car was driven by Frederik Vesti (Friday and Saturday) and Valtteri Bottas (Sunday).

The Duke of Richmond founded the Festival of Speed in 1993 in the park of Goodwood House, the family’s ancestral home. The event is famous as the “largest motorised garden party in the world”. Here you can experience the past, present and future of the automobile in style. In 2025, the all-new electric Mercedes-Benz CLA made its dynamic debut too, in the First Glance Paddock and also being driven on the hill climb.