Friday is the first main day of the actual Festival of Speed. ESM spent the vast majority of it taking the long walk from the bottom of the paddock all the way to the rally-stage at the top of the hill. This is what we encountered along the way.

Jaguar XJ relaxs in the field next to the campsite. Row of Dacias behind, with a row of BMW M cars further back. Only at Goodwood.

Skoda pulled out all the stops to promote the Citigo. This represents a fraction of the little city-cars dotted around the event.

The anti-christ; two Chevrolet Volts.

Sometimes the car park is just as good as the main FoS. Here, a DB7 poses with a DB5 (yes, a real DB5) in the background.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato burbles down to the start line

The epic sounding BRM V16 P15. No, not a typo, it has 16 cylinders! 1.5 litres with a supercharger. Not bad for 1950.

Not sure what the collective term is for Jaguar XJR8/9/11s is. A prowl maybe?

It’s the Bugatti Veyron Vitesse again.

Just as impressive from the rear. Also, suprisingly smaller in real life compared to photos.

The 1954 Land Rover Series II “Royal Review Vehicle” as used by Her Majesty The Queen.

That stunning Lotus monument outside Goodwood House.

Ayrton Senna’s Lotus 98T.

Rene Arnoux, signing some autographs.

The Red Bull RB7; driven by Daniel Ricciardo on Friday ahead of SV’s arrival on Saturday,

2011 Lotus Renault R30.

Lotus Cosworth Type 125. Ultimate track-day toy? Essentially an F1 car for private buyers to play with.

Mercedes MGP W02 of 2011 vintage

This is the “Course Director’s” car; a locally sourced Rolls-Royce. Again, only something you would see at Goodwood.

Red Arrows take to the sky as the action continues on track below.

Ferrari 250 emerges from the trees back into daylight

Ford GT40 rumbles on up the hill.

Mercedes-Benz W194 “Gullwing” shows off it’s low-tech aircondition system.

1937 Mercedes-Benz W125; one of the classic “silver arrows” of the pre-war years.

Gorgeous and effective; the 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe.

Is the Lancia Stratos the best looking rally car ever built? Hard to think of a better one.

The brutal Ford RS200 Group B monster.

The “business end” of the RS200

How the late Tony Pond managed to rally a Rover SD1 Vitesse is beyond me. Look at the size of it?!

A distinctive livery for the Opel Manta 400. Driven by Russell Brookes at the FoS as it was back in 1985.

Skoda’s “car-henge” creation, marking the top of the hill.

Jenson Button’s Williams FW22. A car from before he started doing Head & Shoulders adverts.

Being driven by Bruno Senna at Goodwood, the 1983 Williams-Cosworth FW08C.

Jody Sheckter’s personal Ferrari 312 T4 from 1979.

THE Audi Sport Quattro S1. My favourite rally car of all time.

Ah. It’s somehow made its way from Oulton Park to be here at Goodwood.

Another ESM unfavourite; the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe in matte brown.

Mmmm carbon fibre on the boot of a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

Modern “Gullwing” in the form of the SLS AMG.

Finishing off a hard day’s walking, photographing and drinking £4 pints.

So that is Friday’s action covered. Come back for Saturday and video highlights soon.