It is no coincidence that the Goodwood Festival is preparing a grand celebration to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the World Motorcycle Championship. After the end of the Second World War, there was a desire to leave hell behind and get back to life, although it took four years until the first speed championship in any motor sport was born.
But putting aside the drumbeats, which are always better kept in a trunk, the important thing is that this summer the Goodwood Festival of Speed is preparing an edition worthy of the anniversary. The countdown has begun, and on the weekend of July 11-14, some of the most impressive machines of all time and some of the most successful drivers will once again roll up the hill climb owned by the Duke of Richmond.
This event, which was born in 1993, has become the largest and most spectacular revival of all those held on the planet, both for the quantity and quality of the vehicles and drivers attending.
In preparation for the commemoration, which will kick off the event in a few weeks at the British GP, several legends of our sport and their machines have already been confirmed. Kenny Roberts senior will be riding his 1980 Yamaha YZR500, while his son will ride the Suzuki RGV500 that took him to the title in 2000.
Another champion who will not miss the party will be Casey Stoner, who will ride the Ducati Desmosedici with which he achieved glory in 2008. But Casey will not be the only Australian champion present, because a true legend like Michael Doohan will ride the 1998 NSR500, the bike with which he last won.
The present will meet the past at Goodwood
Also with Honda, but in this case with a 2023 RC213V, we will see Stefan Bradl, so the audience will have the opportunity to see up close the evolution of the category in recent decades.
In addition to this, and with some surprises and drivers still to be revealed, we will surely see other models that have reigned in the top category of world motorcycling for these 75 years on the hill, to which will be added winners of the Isle of Man TT such as Peter Hickman, John McGuinnes and the world sidecar drivers Todd Ellis and Emmanuelle Clément.
Today, and for some time now, the TT, the sidecars and the World Championship of Motorcycle Racing are separate, but in the early years of the championship and in the case of the sidecars well into the 1990s, they were part of the whole. And what no one can deny is that the 1949 Isle of Man TT, which was the British GP of that year, was the first Grand Prix in the history of the World Championship of Motorcycle Racing.
