For motorsport enthusiasts, few pilgrimages compare to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Every summer, the historic grounds of Goodwood House become a living museum of speed, where the greatest machines and the legends who raced them come together to celebrate the past, present, and future of motorsport.
The 2026 edition delivered a truly unforgettable chapter in that story, as nine-time Grand Prix World Champion Valentino Rossi returned to the Festival of Speed for the first time in more than a decade.
Working in partnership with Monster Energy, Yamaha brought together one of the sport’s greatest modern icons with one of its most revered Grand Prix motorcycles. Rossi took to the famous Goodwood Hill aboard the 2020 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1 alongside two- and four-wheel Monster Energy athletes including Lando Norris, Steve ‘Baggsy’ Biagioni, Petter Solberg, John McGuinness and Michael Dunlop. Against the backdrop of the rolling Sussex countryside, the legendary YZR-M1 echoed across the estate, while the unmistakable Monster Energy livery emblazoned with the fluro yellow 46 transported the thousands of fans back to one of motorcycle racing’s defining eras.
Rossi’s appearance began in spectacular fashion on the Friday as he emerged onto the balcony of Goodwood House alongside close friend and reigning Formula 1 World Champion, Lando Norris. Moments earlier, Norris had driven a 1996 Liberty Walk S13 up the Hill, parking it beside Rossi’s 2020 YZR-M1 at the heart of the Festival. He then joined Rossi on the balcony, where the pair received a warm welcome from the cheering crowd.
The Italian returned to centre stage on the Hill Climb itself on the Saturday, leading a special demonstration featuring fellow Monster Energy athletes. At the front of the pack, riding his beloved M1 for the first time since his retirement from MotoGP after the 2021 season, the sight and sound of the M1 served as a powerful reminder of his and Yamaha’s rich Grand Prix legacy.
VALENTINO ROSSI
Official Yamaha Brand Ambassador
“I am very happy and proud to be back at Goodwood, it is a little more than ten years since the last time I was here. It is always a special event, and a special weekend which is very unique. It is quite impressive how big the event has become, so it’s great to be here for all the fans, and riding my M1 is always fantastic, so it’s great to be back riding again. Yamaha has been a huge part of my life, so it is always emotional when we reunite, and to do it with my 2020 YZR-M1 makes the occasion even more meaningful.”
Discussion about this post