Motorsport By Tony Brunskill

Last updated 05:34, Friday, 18 July 2008

AS EVER the Goodwood Festival of Speed was a great three days of superb racing and rallying as well as the first glimpse of new cars not seen before including some of  the world’s most exotic and expensive machinery.

It was also great for Langwathby’s Oliver Turvey, the Racing Steps Foundation (RSF) Formula 3 driver for 2008 who added to the number of awards the future F1 star has gained over the years by being given another.

The prestigious Dunhill Future Champion award was judged by Christopher Colfer, CEO of Alfred Dunhill and the Earl of March.

However, as Oliver was committed to rounds 13 and 14 of the Formula 3 Championship at Brands Hatch John Surtees OBE, Ambassador of the RSF, accepted the 21 year-old’s award given in recognition of the race driver seen as the most possible future Championship contender.

Although hindered by budget constraints in recent years, Oliver finished second in the 2007 Formula BMW Championship despite missing early races and won the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Drivers Award.

John Surtees, who spotted Oliver’s talent said, “Oliver has demonstrated a consistent combination of speed and results combined with a cerebral approach to his race driving which has impressed us all and which now places him third in the F3 Championship in his first year.”

Oliver is contesting the 2008 Formula 3 Championship with Carlin Motorsport, one of the most successful F3 teams of all time with Takuma Sato, Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel being former drivers.

Goodwood also proved the ideal showcase for both the Stobart World Rally Championship driver, Cockermouth’s Malcolm Wilson who was able to show his skill on the 1.5 mile rally stage designed by Hannu Mikkola where he slid and roared through forest but also on the famous hill-climb where he showed just how the Scandinavian flick technique of going round corners is done!

Goodwood bristled with racing and rallying stars of the past and present and I particularly enjoyed an interview with Sir Stirling Moss who, though 79, is as bright as a button and full of fabulous stories of his racing and womanising, the latter being very much part and parcel of the glamorous but very dangerous racing period of the 1950s and 60s.

He recounted his Spa accident when he broke his back and both legs which put him into St. Thomas Hospital for four weeks but after one week he sneaked out to a dance!

Stirling, who said the greatest driver was his rival Fangio, also said that Lewis Hamilton is a great driver and future champion for whom he felt sorry as modern drivers are so controlled and race only single seaters where as in his day he raced anything on four wheels!

Lewis also wooed the crowds and after his superb Silverstone win he was much more relaxed and enjoyed himself among the crowds.

One of the most fantastic displays was by multiple champion trails rider Dougie Lampkin who rode over course cars, bales and anything that was standing still but was most impressive when he rode into Goodwood House, through the rooms and via the attic onto the roof. Brilliant!

Tomorrow the Cumberland Show will have a stand run by the Spadeadam Motor Club where youngsters will be encouraged to learn how to navigate and read maps and all about the world of motorsport while adults can have a go at the changing a wheel competition and everyone can have drive the Ford Focus WRC simulator.

And to really gorge on motorsport, why not then have a good night’s sleep, get up early and head to Heaves Hall just off the M6 near Kendal for the Cars the Star event which is a fabulous collection of cars of all types, demonstrations, car club stands and memorabilia.