THIS year's Goodwood Festival of Speed promises to be yet another thriller, boosted with the introduction of a woodland special stage for rallying legends.

The three-kilometre loose surface stage on the crest of the South Downs will resound to the crackle and rattle of 30 machines including Group 4 cars like the Lancia Stratos and the awesome flame-spitting Group B cars that were banned in the 1980s.

Rally drivers at the festival on June 24, 25 and 26 will include champions like Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Rauno Aaltonen and Erik Carlsson.

Host Lord March announced the new feature as a replacement for the spectacular of alarming soap box 'gravity racing' at the season's sunny launch in Goodwood Park this week.

Once again the world's biggest historic motor sport will have a plethora of star cars and drivers drawn from around the globe, with about 30 machines being shipped from the United States by P&O Nedlloyd.

The Earl of March, in his welcome speech, introduced this year's theme of 'Racing Colours - National Pride and Culture', which celebrates the essence of what makes the cars and motorcycles of different countries so typical of their makers' cultures, passions and skills.

With active involvement by the world's leading motor manufacturers and race teams, Goodwood will have the finest array of drivers and machines assembled anywhere in the world just days before the British Grand Prix.

With six Formula One teams to be here in June, Goodwood will throng to the sound of the McLaren-Mercedes, Williams-BMW, BAR-Honda, Toyota, Renault and World Championship-winning Ferrari in action on the hill, along with many other types of fabulous machinery.

Set to make his Festival debut is four-time World Champion Alain Prost in his title-winning 1989 McLaren-Honda MP4/5 at the Festival this year.

Other star drivers already signed up for the weekend include Rene Arnoux, Sir Stirling Moss and Jenson Button.

Each year a magnificent automotive sculpture in front of Goodwood House represents an important motoring milestone. This year Honda celebrates 40 Years of Grand Prix Success, with a stunning collection of Honda cars and motorcycles around the display.

Lord March also welcomed new sponsors Ferrari, Lloyds TSB Private Banking, Unipart Automotive and BP Ultimate.

For more details of this year's event and pictures from the event launch, see pages two and three.