What is the RAC TT Celebration?

It’s the blue riband event of the Revival weekend, the pinnacle of competition and performance at Goodwood, and a chance to see many of the world’s greatest cars and drivers take part in a high-speed and action-packed showpiece where the gloves truly come off in the name of victory.  

The RAC Tourist Trophy was originally hosted at Goodwood from 1958 to 1964 when it was primarily run as a round of the World Sportscar Championship, but also part of the FIA GT Cup in 1960 and ’61.  

That first race in ‘58 was won by the pairing of Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks, who headed home a formation one-two-three finish for the works Aston Martin DBR1s. Roy Salvadori and Jack Brabham shared the second car, with Carroll Shelby and Stuart Lewis-Evans third. The likes of Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren and Innes Ireland were also involved in Goodwood’s first Tourist Trophy race.  

Moss won again with Aston Martin the following year and made it four RAC TT wins in a row at Goodwood when he claimed victories in both 1960 and ’61 driving Ferrari 250 GT SWBs.  

Ferrari went on to dominate the TT during its remaining years at Goodwood, first with Ireland in 1962 at the wheel of a 250 GTO, then with Graham Hill in 1963 and ’64.   

The race was relocated from Goodwood to Oulton Park in 1965, but the RAC Tourist Trophy continued to be featured regularly as a touring car event at Silverstone throughout the 1970s and ‘80s. Most recently it was awarded to the winner of the Silverstone round of the World Endurance Championship until 2019.  

But it’s those legendary years at Goodwood that we remember so fondly, and emphatically at the Revival. Since it was first introduced at the inaugural Revival meeting, the RAC TT Celebration has brought together a grid of cars that most closely resembles that of the closed-cockpit GT class from 1964.   

‘Lightweight’ and ‘semi-lightweight’ Jaguar E-types have gone shoulder to shoulder with Ferrari 250s and Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes, but over the years the race has evolved to feature a more varied line-up of cars that represents that era of GT racing more broadly.

Alongside the E-types which remain a major part of the event, TVR Griffiths do battle with Cobras, Corvette Stingrays, Bizzarrini 5300 GTs, Tojeiro Coupes and Porsche 906s. When 30 of these cars line up on the grid for the race start at its traditional 14:00 time on Sunday afternoon, the eruption at the drop of the flag is felt as much as heard.  

The RAC TT Celebration is a two-driver, one-hour race that takes its place as the blue riband event of the Revival, but also historic racing worldwide. The grid regularly tops £30million in value, which also makes it one of the most valuable races on the planet.

But it's not only the cars that make this one of the most spectacular races in the world. The RAC TT Celebration has featured a remarkable line-up of VIP drivers since day one. It has been held every single year at Goodwood since the first Revival in 1998 and boasts a substantial history all of its own.   

The roll of honour includes names like Tom Kristensen, Emanuele Pirro, Andre Lotterer, Richard Attwood, Dario Franchitti, Henri Pescarolo, Patrick Tambay, Giedo van der Garde, Gordon Shedden, Andy Priaulx and Tom Ingram. 

Jenson Button has made it his mission to win the RAC TT Celebration in recent years, acquiring the legendary ‘Cut 8’ Jaguar E-type in an attempt to add his name to that illustrious list. His fellow Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve also made a memorable return to racing in the TT in 2025, alongside IndyCar legend Tony Kanaan.  

We’ll look forward to finding out which motorsport legends fancy a go in 2026, and whether Tom Ingram can make it three RAC TT Celebration wins on the bounce. 

Tickets for the 2026 Goodwood Revival are now on sale.

If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today and save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.

Photography by Michal Pospisil, Charlie Brenninkmeijer, Jayson Fong, Joe Harding, Jochen Van Cauwenberge, Drew Gibson, Jordan Butters, Toby Whales and Pete Summers.