Wednesday 8 July 2026

Centenary celebration for one of Britain’s first Land Speed Record pioneers to headline summer showcase at Woodcote Park

The courageous exploits of one of Britain’s pioneering speed record breakers – Sir Henry O’Neal de Hane Segrave – will be celebrated at this summer’s Royal Automobile Club Concours (Wednesday 8 July), for which tickets are now on sale.

A towering figure from the heroic age of speed, Segrave was a fighter pilot, Grand Prix-winning racing driver, Land Speed Record holder and powerboat racer extraordinaire. A national hero, he was knighted by King George V in recognition of his groundbreaking achievements and as a standard-bearer for world-class British engineering.

Now, a century after Segrave set his first Land Speed Record in 1926, visitors to the Royal Automobile Club’s picturesque Woodcote Park estate will be able to experience a special display dedicated to one of Britain’s greatest trailblazers. Right at the heart of this unique tribute, Segrave’s 1926 record-breaking machine will take centre stage in a landmark anniversary showcase. The legendary leviathan is currently on show in the exalted Rotunda of the Club’s Pall Mall clubhouse in central London (photo above).

“Sir Henry Segrave embodies the very essence of British daring, defiance and determination,” said Duncan Wiltshire, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club. “This special centenary celebration not only honours his extraordinary achievements but also highlights the enduring legacy of innovation and courage that continues to inspire generations of engineers, drivers and adventurers.”

Born in 1896, Henry Segrave made history as the first Briton to win a Grand Prix in a British car, claiming victory at the 1923 French Grand Prix in Tours driving a Sunbeam, and one of the Sunbeams he raced at Brooklands in 1922 will also be on show at the Concours. 

Further Grands Prix triumphs followed before he then turned his attention to speed records and, in 1926, set his first Land Speed Record at 152.33mph on Ainsdale Beach, Southport.

Driving ‘Ladybird’, the very 4-litre V12 Sunbeam Tiger to be displayed at the Concours, he became the first person to exceed 150mph over a measured kilometre. Now owned by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, the landmark Sunbeam returned to the Southport sands last month to mark the milestone with current Land Speed Record holder Andy Green OBE behind the wheel.

Then, in 1927, Segrave regained the record that by then had been lost to rival Malcolm Campbell. On Daytona Beach in the US he fulfilled a long-held ambition by becoming the first person to travel at more than 200mph on land, recording 203.79mph in the 1000bhp Sunbeam ‘Mystery’, also known as ‘the Slug’. He returned to Florida in 1929 to push the record further still to 231.45mph in the iconic Golden Arrow.

Turning his focus to water speed, the newly knighted Segrave again made history aboard Miss England II, powered by a mighty Napier Lion aero engine. On Lake Windermere, he achieved an unprecedented average of 98.76mph over two runs. Tragically, during a subsequent attempt, the boat capsized at speed, costing Segrave his life at just 33 years of age.

His enduring legacy prevails, however, through the prestigious Segrave Trophy, established in 1930 by his wife, Lady Doris Segrave. Awarded annually by the Royal Automobile Club, it recognises British nationals who demonstrate ‘Outstanding Skill and Courage on Land, on Water, in the Air, or even in Space’.

The eponymous trophy will be displayed at the Club Concours alongside Segrave’s astonishing 1926 record-breaking Sunbeam Tiger and the illustrious Sunbeam Grand Prix ‘Strasbourg’ kindly loaned by Royal Automobile Club member Bert Degenaar, one of four Sunbeam cars built for the XVI Grand Prix de l’A.C.F which took place in Strasbourg in July 1922 (photos below of Segrave in the 1922 Sunbeam ‘Strasbourg’ and the car today).

The striking Segrave showcase is one of a number of special feature displays. They are on show alongside the seven exceptional central concours categories to be judged by a panel of experts – and for visitors to savour – at the sophomore staging of the Royal Automobile Club Concours.

Adding further distinction to the occasion, world-renowned auction house RM Sotheby’s will host its Summer Sale simultaneously at Woodcote Park for the very first time.

Tickets are available for purchase by all members of the Royal Automobile Club, and Woodcote Park will once again also be open to members of invited fellow car clubs and motoring organisations – notably those associated with the selected Concours categories and feature displays.

Members of invited clubs and organisations have received a unique access code enabling them to purchase advance tickets. A full hospitality package is also offered for those seeking an enhanced event experience.