Lotus turns 75 this year and, to celebrate, Goodwood has announced it will be the featured marque at 2023’s Revival, which returns from 8-10 September.
Across the weekend, a parade of up to 75 significant Lotus cars from the manufacturer’s rich history will take to the West Sussex circuit, which also turns 75 this year.
The on-track tribute will focus on cars from the Chapman years, between 1948-’82.
A Lotus-Climax 25 tackles the hillclimb at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2021 © Michal Pospisil
A highlight of this homage will be the Lotus 18 that won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1960 with Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel.
The victory at the twisty street circuit was the first for a Lotus-built car.
Also at September’s Revival will be a Lotus 25, a model that holds the period lap record at Goodwood.
This was set on Easter Monday, 1965, when Jim Clark matched Jackie Stewart’s time of 1 min 20.4 secs at the circuit’s last Formula One race.
Mike and Andrew Jordan put on a spectacular display in their Lotus Cortina Mk1 during the 2022 St Mary’s Trophy
The Chapman family has a long-standing relationship with the West Sussex circuit.
Lotus founders Colin and Hazel Chapman raced at Goodwood and Colin’s father, Stan, managed the team that won the 1960 Glover Trophy.
Colin’s son, Clive Chapman, will attend this year’s Revival. “Goodwood represents many landmarks in the story of Lotus,” he said.
“We had many famous victories – often with my father behind the wheel – when the circuit was first in operation and, since the Revival and Members’ Meetings were established, Lotus has played a significant role in these glorious events.”
A selection of star drivers will pilot the cars in the Lotus 75th-anniversary parade.
A pair of Lotus-Climax 25s (left and far right) sandwich a Ferrari 1512 off the grid at last year’s Goodwood Revival
The Duke of Richmond, founder of the Goodwood Revival, added: “The Revival will showcase an incredible array of cars which illustrate the ingenuity of Colin Chapman and the remarkable contribution of the Chapman family to motorsport, both at Goodwood and further afield.”
The display will join a previously announced on-track tribute to the late Caroll Shelby, who would have turned 100 this year.
There are still tickets available for this year’s Goodwood Revival, which takes place from 8-10 September in West Sussex.
Early bird prices start from £67 and are available until 30 April. Tickets can be purchased on the event’s website.
