MOTORSPORT fans will be treated to an appearance from a Formula 1 world champion at the return of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The annual event, which runs from Thursday until Sunday at the picturesque Goodwood Estate, near Chichester, will feature 2008 world champion and global megastar Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton, 29, will make a special appearance when he drives a modern grand prix car run by his Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team up the Goodwood Hillclimb on Sunday afternoon.

A spokesman for the Festival of Speed said: “Hamilton, whose four victories this year mean he has won more races than any other Formula 1 driver in the current season, more than lives up to the 2014 Festival of Speed theme: ‘Addicted to Winning’.”

The festival theme will celebrate drivers, riders, teams and manufacturers who became dominant and changed the standards of their day.

A total of five other Formula 1 world champions have confirmed they will be attending, including Sir Jackie Stewart, Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, John Surtees and Emerson Fittipaldi.

Mercedes-Benz will also feature other famous drivers to celebrate its 120 years in motorsport, Mercedes-Benz’s line-up includes 16-time Grand Prix winner Sir Stirling Moss, four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, Le Mans winners Hans Herrmann, Klaus Ludwig and Jochen Mass, DTM (German Touring Car Masters) legends Roland Asch and Bernd Schneider as well as former Formula 1 racer Karl Wendlinger.

The first event on Thursday is the Moving Motor Show.

Other paddock attractions include a showing of the latest supercars and motorcycles, the hill climb challenge, a timed supercar run and rally area.

More than 90 famous motorsport names will attend and there will be a celebration of stylish, beautiful cars, which will be judged by famous arts personalities.

There is also an aviation exhibition featuring a display including the RAF’s Red Arrows.

The festival will be streamed live on the Goodwood Festival of Speed website.

Tickets for the event must be booked in advance.