CELEBRITIES and speedsters hit the track for a weekend of historic motor racing and high-octane action.

Goodwood Festival of Speed came to a close yesterday as stars such as supermodel Jodie Kidd, comedian Alan Davies and actor Rupert Grint put in appearances to watch the motoring spectacular.

A spokesman for Goodwood said: “The event has once again exceeded all expectations with all general admission tickets sold out well in advance.

"We’ve had an incredible mix of drivers and riders.”

Nine-time motorbike world champion and current MotoGP championship leader Valentino Rossi wowed crowds as he rode his Yamaha superbike through the doors of the Grade I-listed country house near Chichester.

The motorbike ace flew in from Holland to attend the festival after claiming victory in Saturday’s MotoGP race in Assen, Holland.

He said: “Yesterday I did the maximum because I wanted to come to Goodwood with a good result.

"Imagine if I came here after finishing in fifth place – it’s not the same.”

Throughout the weekend a who’s who of the motorsport world put in appearances, including Formula One world champions Jenson Button and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. British racing legends Sir Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill and John

Surtees also returned this year alongside Sir Stirling Moss, the man dubbed the ‘greatest driver never to win an F1 championship'.

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg was also there along with the Williams F1’s Felipe Massa and the team’s Scottish reserve driver, Susie Wolff.

Other motorsport stars, such as F1-driver-turned-Porsche-ace Australian Mark Webber, rally legend Ken Block and two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner, also hit the track throughout the weekend.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is centred around the annual 1.16 mile hill climb in which the world’s best cars and drivers tackle the challenging course.

This year’s best time of 44.91 seconds was set by show driver Olly Clark in a souped-up Subaru Impreza known as the Gobstopper II.

The record is held by ex-Formula One driver Nick Heidfeld, who tackled the course in a McLaren championship-winning 1998 F1 car in – whose time was scored a time of 41.60 seconds.