What is the French connection between DirtFish owner Steve Rimmer, Formula 1 icon Sir Jackie Stewart and legends of music Tinie Tempah, Bryan Ferry and Simon Le Bon?
In a word, Cartier.
In four words, Cartier Style et Luxe.
Year after year, the 11th Duke of Richmond and Gordon opens his home to motorsport’s glitterati. And for one weekend each summer the good, the great, the fast and the faster land on a line of 115-year-old bricks from Indianapolis – the startline of the world’s most recognizable hill climb.
Welcome to the quintessentially British Goodwood Festival of Speed.
And speed really is what this week is all about. It’s why World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans is home and driving Toyota Gazoo Racing’s all-conquering GR Yaris Rally1 – as well as M-Sport Ford’s Jon Armstrong. It’s why Formula 1 has hung around for the week after the British Grand Prix.
Most importantly, it’s the speed between the trees that really counts. This is the weekend when the woods at the top of the hill come alive to the sound of our sport.
And, as usual, a selection from Steve’s stunning car collection will be recreating glories past, while simultaneously helping tell stories and make fresh memories. The McRae history features prominently, with a Ford Focus RS WRC and Subaru Legacy RS driven by 1995 world champion Colin McRae present alongside the Ford Sierra Cosworth Jimmy McRae used to win the 1989 Tour of Britain. Joined by a works Fiat 131 Abarth, those cars will be going between the trees.
BGMsport’s Ian Gwynne is the man responsible for delivering the year’s best history lesson and the subject matter is as compelling as ever, with Calum and Ruary MacLeod bring their ex-Carlos Sainz Subaru Impreza 555, while also providing a more up-to-date take with the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The Ford Escort Mk2 owned by Colin McRae and one of the original, game-changing Group 4 Audi quattros come from the BGM stable, courtesy of Steve Gallagher.
Gwynne and BGMsport have been the backbone of Goodwood’s Festival of Speed Forest Rally Stage – alongside stalwart event director Rick Smith and his amazing team – for years now. And this week’s no different: from Thursday to Sunday, the best place to be is at the top of the hill.
But remember that French connection? Let’s get back to that.
Sitting south-west of Goodwood house, on the outside of the second right-hander is the Cartier Lawn, home to Cartier Style et Luxe… the only place to have your cars seen.
Cartier Style et Luxe is the world’s greatest automotive beauty pageant, the only concours d’elegance that counts. And this year Steve’s Ford RS200 EVO will sit on the lawn and be considered for both its beauty and its purpose.
Who’s judging? Will it be Yasmin Le Bon or Dame Darcey Bussell again? Or maybe former Apple chief designer Jony Ive is going to cast an eye? Nobody knows. The identity of the judges is revealed when the event opens.
Steve Rimmer will proudly present his Ford RS200 EVO S before the judges
“It’s an incredible honor to be invited to present the RS200 on the Cartier Lawn,” said Steve. “Ford has played a huge part in my history in the sport of rallying; I grew up in the north of England watching Hannu Mikkola and Ari Vatanen driving Group 4 Escorts on the RAC Rally.
“Group B changed everything in rallying and the RS200 was Ford’s answer in that category. When Group B ended prematurely following a number of tragic accidents, Ford was working on the next evolution of the RS200. And the car on the lawn at Goodwood is actually an RS200 EVO S. There were only around 20 of these made, and a lot fewer in blue. The EVO S had the engine worked on, the 2.1-liter BDT was bored out to take power from around 400bhp up 600 – we’ve recently had the engine rebuilt and it showed 600 on the dyno.
“Probably the most distinctive aspect outwardly is the air intake, the ‘ears’ on the roof.
“Goodwood is something I look forward to every year. It’s a fabulous opportunity to come and meet old friends, to talk about cars and watch our memories being played out – and driven – before our very eyes. It’s a great event and, like I said, a real honor to have a car on the lawn at the bottom of the hill as well as going up the hill and in the woods at the top.”
And, don’t forget, halfway up the hill is the Off Road Arena. This is where you’ll find some of the fastest and most capable off-road technology being demonstrated. Stock T2 category Dakar winner and World Rally Raid Championship challengers Defender are very much part of that plan, with American star Sara Price back at the Festival for the second year in succession.
