Nick Mason is one of the many drivers who is currently participating in the 2016 Goodwood Festival Of Speed, which opened on Thursday and runs until tomorrow. The event is a must-attend annual celebration of motor racing held in Sussex on an Earl's estate.

Gathering cars and bikes, drivers/riders, and enthusiasts from all over the world, the event celebrates motor racing from the very early days, through to the very latest F1 cars, and a look to the future of motoring with some early looks at new cars and new technologies.

It is held in the grounds of Lord March's estate, near Chichester, Sussex, in the south of England, and has static displays, demonstration runs, and timed runs, up the hill past Goodwood House. It's a wonderful event, and words do not pay it justice!

Nick Mason is a regular each year, having driven a range of classic cars from his and other's collections. At this year's event he again has been taking the wheel of an Auto Union Type C, which has been thrilling many of the petrolheads in the crowds, estimated to be 150,000-strong tomorrow, the final day of the event.

His first run up the hill this morning was in bright sunshine, but in typical British style, the weather proved very changeable as the day went on with all the drivers struggling later on with wet conditions mixed with warm sunshine.

Here's some exclusive pictures from this morning of Nick getting ready for the first run, and as he passed Goodwood House...click the thumbnails to see the pictures in greater detail:

Full details of the annual Festival can be found at www.Goodwood.co.uk/fos, where you can also purchase your tickets for the event. Entrance is by advance purchased ticket only, and there is plenty of free parking to be found at the venue, reached easily from the main A27 coast road in Sussex. You can currently register for notification of when 2017 tickets go on sale - we're sure that Nick is anticipating attending again, as he has attended pretty much every year of the event (apart from 1994, when Pink Floyd were touring).

In 2004, a lavish book was written to commemorate the Festival, and included within its pages is an article by Nick Mason, along with pictures of him at the event. Click here to see our review of the book.