Saturday at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed has been cancelled due to expected bad weather.
A yellow weather warning for wind has been issued today by the Met Office for the south of England and Wales. After consultation with meteorologists, the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed’s organisers saw no option but to call the event off for Saturday, with a view to resuming on Sunday.
The cancellation comes after Friday, the second day of the, was hampered by day-long rainfall, which led to the cancellation of a number of runs up the famous hillclimb later in the day.
A statement from the Goodwood Festival of Speed reads as follows.
“It is with deep regret that we have taken the decision that the Goodwood Festival of Speed will not go ahead tomorrow (Saturday 15 July 2023). After consulting meteorologists, health and safety experts and other key stakeholders, we have taken the decision to close the event site due to a severe wind warning in the Goodwood area.
“On-site safety is our highest priority and the forecasted high winds will pose a serious risk to various temporary structures across the site. We politely ask that you do not travel to Goodwood or attempt to access the site.
“This decision has not been made lightly and His Grace, The Duke of Richmond, along with the whole Festival of Speed team, are deeply saddened that we will not run the event on Saturday for the first time in its 30 year history.
“The event will resume as planned on Sunday.”
Although the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed will resume on Sunday, it will not be open to holders of Saturday tickets, who will instead be contacted regarding refunds.
Those camping at Goodwood this weekend can continue to do so on Saturday, with Goodwood saying that those who do so should “be careful during the high winds and consider taking down gazebos and awnings, securing tents with additional pegs or demounting during the peak wind period. If you have any problems, please keep in touch with Goodwood through our campsite managers in the office.”
