WORDS: DAVID LILLYWHITE | PHOTOS: PORSCHE
For Magneto issue 18, editor David Lillywhite sat down with Charlie March, who is heir apparent to the Goodwood estate and all the car events that go with it.
What have you been up to lately?
I’ve been living in New York for two years doing my MBA, mostly focused on finance. I’ve also just started fundraising for a venture-capital fund, investing in early-stage logistics and mobility tech.
Does the responsibility for Goodwood weigh heavily on you?
Generally I feel very good about it. It’s an amazing place, and I’m so fortunate to be a part of it. The idea of running the business doesn’t weigh heavily, but what does is the responsibility for everyone here.
How did it feel growing up on the Goodwood Estate?
I never realised how different it was until I was ten or 11. I’d go to my mates’ houses because they were allowed to go on their computer for longer than I was, and they would come to my house because it was better for hide and seek. And then I started to realise, oh, wait, this is a bit weird [laughs]. And you have grown up with all these car events, too. Yes, there were two Festival of Speeds before I was born [in 1994]. Since then I’ve been around all of them, and I’ve been to every Revival. One of my very earliest memories was my parents dressing me up for the Revival and no one else being dressed up. And now everybody is dressed up and everyone feels a part of the event.
How will you keep the car events here relevant in future?
They seem to be evolving with the times, and the younger generations feel just as much a part of them, so we just need to stay modern. All my friends who come love them – even though they didn’t see the cars racing in period. We’ve always worried about what happens when the older drivers are no longer able to compete. But you see the younger ones coming in – all these ex-F1 drivers come down, they do one test and they fall in love with it.
Why do they love it so much?
It’s just fun! These drivers have had such a stressful few years in F1. Here they can get in a car that they can just enjoy; they’re always going to be competitive, but they can somewhat relax, enjoy the car and drive in a totally different way.
Speaking of driving, please tell your teenage BMW E30 story.
[Laughs] It was the old course car from here. I was on top of a hill with a friend, and I forgot to put the handbrake on. It went down the hill and crashed into a wall. We tried to rebuild the BMW, and I remember my dad pulling up in a car and looking at me. I was caught red-handed. It was really bad!
We raced the Austin A35 together. What have you done since then?
I’ve done Jaguar Mk1, Mini, E-type and Ford Capri. They’re fun for me because there is less pressure. There’s nothing worse than making mistakes on your own track.
Are you still racing?
Unfortunately, it is hard to manage, being out in America. I did the Porsche Sprint Challenge in 2021, which was great. I really enjoyed it, and I felt like I learned a lot.
And the big question: when will you take over at Goodwood?
Dad and I speak about that a lot, and it changes each time. We have different ideas depending on what I’m doing and what he’s doing. A lot of it depends on how he’s feeling over time and how quickly he wants me to come back. I’ll probably come back in between five and ten years’ time, and do a few years with him as a transitional period – but it is his passion, he’s not going to stop completely.
