A major highlight of the Goodwood Festival of Speed each year for both the many Alfisti and the general public who cram this popular event is the presence of the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo; and this year as usual they didn't disappoint with a five-strong line-up of cars led out by the race-winning 33/2 'Daytona'.

One of Alfa Romeo's most positive policies today is that it doesn't hide its mouth watering inventory of highly successful historic road and racing cars away in the official museum; rather they take part in a hectic programme of high profile events worldwide each year such as the mow superbly revived 1000 Miglia and Targa Florio. And the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which has grown to become the greatest celebration of automotive achievement through the decades in the world, has become a regular date on the cramped calendar of the Museo Storico, especially so as Alfa Romeo is a sponsor of the event. "It's an important event because of the interest of the British public," a Museo spokesperson told Italiaspeed. "Its a real face to face meeting for people who are always interested in the work these guys are doing."

This year the Museo Storico's two huge transporters turned up at Goodwood with five racing cars, each with its place long since etched into motor racing history, each a comprehensive winner in its day. Lined up in the Cathedral Paddock, the oldest member of the quintet was the glorious P2 Gran Premio which was built in 1924. With its 2.0-litre straight 8-cyl supercharged twin-cam engine it developed 175 bhp and had a top speed of 141 mph. Its first victories came at the 1924 Italian and Cremona Grand Prix, where it was driven by Antonio Ascari, and at the Grand Prix of Europe, in the hands of Giuseppe Campari. The very next year it won the World Championship. At Goodwood it was entered in Batch 1, Class 3 Rise of the Single Seater - Celebrating 75 years since the 'monoposto' changed GP racing and was powered up the hill on all three days by Maurizio Monti.

Next up in chronological order was the Gran Premio Tipo B 'P3' from 1932. With its 2654cc straight 8-cyl twin-supercharged engine it boasted 215 bhp and achieved a top speed of 144 mph. Originally known as the Tipo B, legendary Alfa Romeo engineer Vittorio Jano's P3 represented a milestone in the marque's racing history, winning its Grand Prix debut at Monza in 1932 driven by Nuvolari, and remaining unbeaten in 1933. At Goodwood, where it was driven up the hill by Richard Gadeselli, it was the Museum's second entry in Batch 1, Class 3.
 

The third and final single seater to be brought to Goodwood by the Automobilismo Storico team was arguably the most famous Alfa Romeo Grand Prix racer of all time, the Alfa 159 'Alfetta'. Built in 1951 the story of its F1 World Championship win that year in the hands of Argentinean maestro Juan-Manuel Fangio is now the stuff of legend. Powered by a 1.5-litre in-line twin cam engine and fitted with two superchargers it developed an impressive 425 bhp and achieved more than 191 mph. The Alfa 159, which was driven at the Festival by Alessandro Rigoni, was entered in Batch 3, Class 8 Classic GP Cars - front engined GP cars of the post-war era.

Complementing the trio of single-seaters were a pair of sports cars, which could also boast a winning pedigree. The 186 mph 33/2 'Daytona', powered by a 270 bhp 2.0-litre V8 twin-cam engine, was built for the 1968 International Constructors' Championship, and these cars achieved a dramatic 1-2 finish in the Daytona 24 Hours, immediately earning itself a place in history. The 33/2 was entered in Batch 2, Class 6 International sports cars - Iconic sports racers that competed between 1960 and 1980, and was ,driven by Andew English. The second entry in this class, and the final car to be brought to Goodwood from the Museo was the 33 TT 12 which in 1975 won seven out of eight races on its way to the World Manufacturers' title. Characterised by the slippery wedge shape prevalent of that era, the 33 TT 12 was powered by a 300 bhp flat-12 twin-cam engine,, it turned out a massive 500 bhp at 11,000 rpm and was able to top 206 mph. It was driven on the course at the weekend by S Chatzipanagiotou.

Just like everyone else the heavy rain affected the Museo cars. "We went out this morning with the P3, 159 and Daytona and it was absolutely fine," said a Museo spokesperson on Saturday afternoon, "but this afternoon when we tried the P2 and P3 in the hailstorm water was coming in from underneath as well as on top and there isn't enough grip on those tyres to start throwing them up the hill. The racing cars are leaving a lot of rubber on the track, and with all the rain, its becoming very slippery."