Valentino Rossi to make Goodwood Festival of Speed return alongside F1 champion Lando Norris

Valentino Rossi will make his long-awaited return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside reigning Formula 1 champion Lando Norris in July. 

Nine-time MotoGP champion Rossi will take to the iconic 1.16-mile hillclimb showcase for the first time since 2015, when he notably rode a Yamaha YZR-M1 in a special livery up the hill, before getting behind the wheel of a Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B, Lancia Delta S4 Group B rally car, and Derek Bell’s Porsche 962, which took pole position at the 1986 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Speaking after his 2015 visit, which came fresh off the back of his victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, Rossi said: "It's been an incredible weekend. I was barely off the podium before immediately heading to the United Kingdom, but I'm very happy that I got to attend the Festival of Speed at Goodwood, it has been a real pleasure.

"I knew about the event because I saw videos of it, but I had never been there before and it's even more impressive than I imagined. It is a very large venue and there were many fans but also lots of famous riders, drivers and other VIPs which gave it a great atmosphere, especially when I rode my Yamaha YZR-M1 up and down the hill."

He added: "At the end of the day I also got to drive a historic Le Mans car and also a rally car, which was great fun as well. I want to say a big thank you to Lord March for inviting and hosting me at this year's event. I had a great time and made memories I will never forget!"

Joining Rossi will be boyhood fan and McLaren driver, Norris, who becomes the second reigning F1 champion to attend in three years, after Max Verstappen featured with Red Bull in 2024.

Norris has been a regular at Goodwood in recent years and has showcased a variety of cars, including a 1970 McLaren-Chevrolet M8D Can-Am in the wet, Ayrton Senna's 1990 McLaren MP4/5B, and Emerson Fittipaldi's 1974 McLaren M23.

The pair of Monster athletes will take part in the Monster Celebration, although details of what can be expected from the pair are yet to be revealed. 

The Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place between July 9-12, with both Norris and Rossi attending on the Friday, where they will share a balcony moment. Norris will return on the Saturday, where he will once again stand on the balcony.