Video: 2026 RAC TT Celebration highlights | Goodwood Revival

RAC TT Celebration highlights

The RAC TT Celebration has taken on a new layer of spectacle for 2026, as the new-look Goodwood Revival Sunday got into full swing ahead of the weekend’s climax.

An all-new drivers’ parade saw the star-studded line-up of all-time greats, packed with World Champions, NASCAR Champions, winners at Le Mans, the Indy 500 and so much more. It made for a stunning view in the afternoon sunshine as three vintage open-topped buses made their way around the Motor Circuit as the anticipation began to reach fever pitch.

The grid meanwhile resembled the build up to a Formula 1 Grand Prix as fortunate spectators flooded the track as the cars sat quietly in place, awaiting their brave drivers to climb aboard.

A rousing rendition of the national anthem signalled it was time for the ceremony to end and the serious business to begin. Helmets were donned as the grid began to clear as we prepared for the West Sussex countryside to once again reverberate with the sound of 1960s GT monsters.

It was the AC Cobra of Jack Tetley on pole position, alongside Mike Whitaker’s TVR Griffith 400 and Richard Meins’ Jaguar E-type ‘semi-lightweight’, but in truth any one of the top ten cars on the grid were in with a shout of victory given the breadth of talent involved.

Tetley perhaps had the most pressure on his shoulders. He was responsible for bringing the car into the pitlane in a strong position before handing over to Tom Ingram, who was going in search of his hat-trick of victories in the RAC TT Celebration.

As the flag dropped, the TVR Griffith made the best start from the middle of the front row to lead into Madgwick as the temperature on track reached boiling point almost instantly.

Whitaker and Tetley set a blistering early pace to break free of the chasing pack, while the #78 E-type of Angus Whiteside made great early progress to climb from ninth to third on the opening lap.

He was under pressure from behind by last year’s winner, Richard Kent in the ‘CUT 7’ E-type as the two Jags reeled in Tetley to make it a frantic three-car battle for second place.

But there was drama on lap seven as Tetley dropped his Cobra at St. Mary’s. He recovered well, but down in ninth, putting Ingram’s three-peat in jeopardy with 50 minutes to go.

The chaos didn’t stop there as the relentless battle for second continued, now between Kent, Whiteside and Lukas Halusa in his E-type ‘low drag’ coupe. Whiteside sent a bold move up the inside of Madgwick but went deep and dropped back to fourth, while Kent, who had recovered from his own earlier moment, was right in Halusa’s wheel tracks.

Whitaker meanwhile, in the TVR which had won this race so brilliantly back in 2024, looked to have things under control at the front, maintaining a 1.5-second gap to those behind through the opening quarter of an hour.

As the pit window opened, Halusa was the first to stop and hand his E-type over to Andre Lotterer, and Tetley followed him in to unleash Ingram on his hunt for a third victory in a row.

The leader was in a lap later as Dario Franchitti took over the fearsome TVR, and the tension was palpable as he prepared to complete the charge, but there was yet more drama as he struggled to get away, having to be pushed down the pitlane before finally pulling away, albeit now behind Ingram in the #24 Cobra.

He quickly disposed of the Cobra and set off on what would have to be an epic recovery from eighth on the road.

While all that was going on, Bobby Verdon-Roe quietly assumed the lead in the ‘Snake Eyes’ Cobra as he continued on a longer first stint that his rivals.

Franchitti, meanwhile, had began to set fastest laps with the bit very much between his teeth. He disposed of the E-types of his good friend Scott Dixon, then Matt Neal as he climbed up into fifth place. That became fourth as Verdon-Roe left it right until the very end of the pit window to finally hand over to his one-time nemesis Jason Plato.

That left the Cobra of Andrew Jordan leading, just one second ahead of Lotterer, although the German was carrying a three-second penalty for a false start. Jimmie Johnson was holding third place in the Lister Coupe, some 18 seconds further back.

Lotterer was right in the slipstream of Jordan and the pair were both absolutely on the limit as they could each see historic motorsport’s greatest prize within their grasp. Lotterer’s was the more desperate cause as he forced his way through at Lavant to claim the lead with 15 minutes to go. The race was on to build that all-important three-second gap to secure victory.

Further back, Franchitti’s charge appeared to have softened as Johnson looked to have made safe his place on the final step of the podium. The pace of the front five was remarkable, all lapping within a few tenths of a second.

Lotterer with five minutes to go had managed, just, to stretch out that three-second lead, but with a steady stream of traffic to deal with it was fluctuating corner by corner. The win was still very much up for grabs with two laps to go.

But it was Lotterer who took the chequered flag at the end of a stunning battle, the E-type ‘low drag’ coupe carrying the German to a third victory in the RAC TT Celebration. A brilliant climax to a fantastic weekend of historic motorsport, bringing the 2026 Goodwood Revival to a memorable end.

Photography by Jordan Butters and Joe Harding.

RAC TT Celebration Official Practice 2

Most races at the 2026 Goodwood Revival get just one Official Practice session, but the two-driver RAC TT Celebration has two. We’re not complaining, though, because these cars are loud, fast and hugely entertaining to watch.

With the unfortunate news that the AC Cobra of Gary Pearson and Alex Brundle had to be withdrawn from the event, the session started with an immediate problem for another Cobra, that of Helio Castroneves and Ludovic Caron. The other contenders continued, however, and it was Rob Huff and Richard Meins who secured the fastest time of the session in their Jaguar E-type 'semi-lightweight', with a time of 1:24.655. But with the best time from the two combined practice qualifying sessions, it’s Tom Ingram and Jack Tetley on pole for the main event. 

RAC TT Celebration grid (top 10)

RAC TT Celebration Official Practice 1

In 2026, the RAC TT Celebration includes two Official Practice sessions, with qualifying positions decided by the best time from each pair. The first session on Friday was a close one, with the top ten positions covered by less than a second and a half. But with the level of talent on show, should we be surprised? Thirteen minutes into the session we had the Jaguar E-Type of Scott Dixon and Angus Whiteside pull off to the side of the Motor Circuit at the Chicane with mechanical issues. After a red flag, the smoking Porsche 904 Carrera GTS of Emanuele Pirro and Joahnnes Stengel looked as though it may cause more problems for the marshals, but with plenty of space on the infield the car was able to be parked up well away from the action.

With five minutes of push-time left, the TVR Griffith 400 of Mike Whitaker and Dario Franchitti and the Shelby Cobra of Andrew Jordan and Matthew Holme were in first and second respectively, but as the chequered flag waved there was one man finishing his final fast lap. At the wheel of an AC Cobra was Tom Ingram, sharing an AC Cobra with Jack Tetley this weekend, and a personal best in the first sector was followed by another personal best in second.

Photography by Charlie Brenninmeijer and Jordan Butters.

When is the 2026 RAC TT Celebration? 

This spectacular grid of 1960s GT icons will first arrive on track on Friday for an Official Practice session at 15:45. Tuning up for the main event continues with another Official Practice session at 09:55 on Saturday.

The flagship race of the weekend, the RAC TT Celebration is the grand finale of track action on Sunday, providing an hour-long spectacle of priceless heritage and fierce racing to close out the event. The race will commence at 16:00, before the waving of the chequered flag welcomes the start of Revival’s first-ever Closing Party at 17:10, to which all spectators are invited to attend and celebrate. 

Who’s competing in the 2026 RAC TT Celebration?

The 2026 RAC TT Celebration is set to feature a star-studded grid of motorsport champions, headlined by a head-to-head clash between Formula 1 titleholders Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve. They are joined by decorated international greats, including endurance record-holder Tom Kristensen, NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, touring car standout Colin Turkington, and Indy 500 legend Hélio Castroneves making his historic racing debut at the Goodwood Revival.

Which cars will be in the 2026 RAC TT Celebration?

It’ll be a roaring spectacle of 1960s GT icons on Sunday afternoon, when the cars for the RAC TT Celebration gather on the Motor Circuit. Beautifully svelte Jaguar E-types — including the legendary ‘CUT 7’ and ‘CUT 8’ examples — are set to dominate the grid alongside a thunderous fleet of V8-powered AC Cobras. A scattering of muscular Corvette Sting Rays, savage TVR Griffiths, and sleek Bizzarrini 5300GTs will join them, while a highly unique Lister-Jaguar Coupe and a rare ‘lowdrag’ E-type Lightweight represent some of the most exotic silhouettes in the field.

Tickets for the 2027 Goodwood Revival will be on sale from Monday 21st September for a limited time only. Tickets will be available exclusively for 2026 tickets holders, as well as Members and Fellows of the GRRC.

Join the GRRC Fellowship today to secure your tickets at the best price possible, plus enjoy access to the exclusive GRRC Pit Stop Enclosure on-event, 10% off admission tickets and grandstand passes and a year-round calendar of member events.