The 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed will act as a pilot event as part of the Events Research Programme (ERP) when it takes place on July 8-11.

The event usually attracts 200,000 people but with the government delaying the final stage of unlocking Covid restrictions in England until July 19, it was feared that the Goodwood Festival of Speed would be severely affected.

However, visitor capacities have been agreed, which means that all 2021 Festival of Speed ticket, hospitality and grandstand pass holders will be able to attend as planned. This also includes those with tickets rolled over from 2020.

As a pilot, all people on site will need to agree to the conditions of entry set out by the ERP in order to enjoy the event safely.

The conditions of entry will include visitors either having had both doses of the vaccine at least 14 days before the event, or proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test, which can be taken either at home or a recognised centre free of charge, within 48 hours of the event.

“We are continuing to expand the Events Research Programme’s remit to include more of our iconic cultural and sporting events and the Goodwood Festival of Speed will now return for the first time since the pandemic broke,” said Parliamentary Under-Secretary  Nigel Huddleston.

Full details of the event are still to be released but a theme of ‘The Masetros – Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders’ has been announced, with the FOS “celebrating the drivers, teams and manufacturers who have enjoyed success across a variety of motorsport disciplines.”

The event is sold out across Friday, Saturday and Sunday but a number of Thursday tickets were still available to purchase at time of writing.