Alain Prost to return to Goodwood for Festival of Speed

'The Professor' will be reunited with his 1985 championship-winning McLaren MP4/2B

24 April 2025 - 12:49 By Motoring Staff
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Alain Prost won his F1 titles with McLaren in 1985, 1986 and 1989, and a fourth with Williams in 1993.
Alain Prost won his F1 titles with McLaren in 1985, 1986 and 1989, and a fourth with Williams in 1993.
Image: Supplied

Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Alain Prost will appear at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship. The 2025 edition of the event will also coincide with two personal milestones for Prost: his 70th birthday and the 40th anniversary of his first world title.

To mark the anniversary of his 1985 championship, Prost will drive the McLaren MP4/2B — the car he used to secure that title — on the famous Goodwood Hillclimb. The MP4/2B will also feature on this year’s official event poster.

Prost, often referred to as “The Professor” for his calculated racing style, won his F1 titles with McLaren in 1985, 1986 and 1989, and a fourth with Williams in 1993. He retired from the sport with 51 Grand Prix victories, the most in history at the time.

Though he didn’t win the championship in 1988, Prost actually outscored teammate Ayrton Senna over the season. However, due to rules that only counted a driver’s best 11 results from the 16-race calendar, Senna was awarded the title.

That season’s McLaren-Honda MP4/4 will also be part of this year’s Festival, and Prost is set to drive the same chassis in which he won races in Mexico, Monaco, and France. The car is being brought to the event by its current owners, Audrain Motorsport.

To mark the anniversary of his 1985 championship, Alain Prost will drive the McLaren MP4/2B – the car he used to secure that title – on the famous Goodwood Hillclimb.
To mark the anniversary of his 1985 championship, Alain Prost will drive the McLaren MP4/2B – the car he used to secure that title – on the famous Goodwood Hillclimb.
Image: Mike King/Allsport/Getty Images

This will be Prost’s third appearance at the Festival of Speed, after previous visits in 2012 and 2013. He is expected to attend the event on the Saturday and Sunday.

“The Festival of Speed is a wonderful place to experience the culture and tradition of motorsport and the full history of motor racing, so I’m looking forward to seeing the celebration of 75 years of the Formula 1 World Championship,” said Prost.

“I can think of no better place to celebrate the history of Formula 1, and two very significant landmarks in my own life.”

Further details on the 75th anniversary celebration — including participating cars, drivers, teams, and special balcony moments — will be announced in the coming months. Prost joins an already star-studded line-up, which includes:

  • a tribute to four-time WorldSBK Champion Carl Fogarty;
  • the largest-ever Formula 1 showcase; and
  • Gordon Murray Automotive’s striking Central Feature sculpture.

Visit the Goodwood website for more information.


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