One Moment at Goodwood, Two Masters at Work

The Pymkhana Bentley Supersports is already sideways on the start line at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Its rear wheels spin, throwing a vast cloud of white tyre smoke into the air. The front wheels point toward one man, while the tail of the car edges toward the outside of the narrow driveway. It is a moment frozen by a camera, the work of two professionals operating on instinct.

One of those men is Paul Rees, a professional driver behind the wheel of the 666 PS machine with all electronic aids switched off. The other is Mark Fagelson, an automotive photographer positioned 250 metres away. He has spent 10 years shooting for Bentley at the festival, and this year he secured a spot in one of its most sought-after positions.

The Setup

Fagelson describes the photographers’ area on the outside of the first corner as being the size of a small elevator, often with 20 people inside. “You have to be friendly with your fellow photographers and use every bit of persuasion to get to the front,” he explains. The effort gives him a direct view of the start line and a car beginning its charge up the Hill.

His subject, the Pymkhana Supersports, makes the opportunity more compelling. “I think the Pymkhana Supersports might be my favourite Bentley ever,” says Fagelson. “It’s an amazing-looking car.” He arrived with a 400 mm high-resolution lens he describes as being “as long as my arm” and a camera that captures 20 frames per second. Still, he knows where the real work lies. “With a photo like that, half the work is done beforehand,” he says. “Then you’re in the hands of the driver.”

That driver, Paul Rees, has two distinct jobs at Goodwood. “It’s a funny job,” he says. “In the timed shootout, I’ve got to be as precise and as fast as possible, which means trying not to be sideways. A few hours later, I’ll be doing a demonstation run, hanging the tail out in full-send mode.” Rees helped prepare this specific car for its role in the film *Supersports: FULL SEND* with Travis Pastrana, and it was modified to allow for simultaneous braking and acceleration.

The Execution

Off the start line, Rees uses this modification to control the car’s forward speed while keeping the rear wheels spinning. “I’ve got 666 PS going to the rear wheels and all the driver aids switched off, so the Supersports is ready to play,” he notes. “The Hill has a crown in the middle, which means it slopes down to either side. The car naturally falls one way, as soon as it does, I just encourage it a little more.”

As the rear wheels began to spin, Fagelson started shooting. “Paul lit the tyres up on the start line, and just kept them lit,” he recalls. “I kept thinking, ‘He’s going to shut it off’, but he kept going. That’s what made the shot: the skill of the driver.” The smoke from the Pirelli tyres spread across the start area. “As soon as I saw the tyres light up and the smoke billowing out, I knew we’d got it. I was smiling while I was shooting because I knew I had something really good.”

Rees maintained the burnout before accelerating up the Hill, drifting through the course, and finishing with more showboating for the crowd. Fagelson, who has been a professional photographer for 25 years, calls it his favorite Goodwood shot yet. “It felt like a one-time opportunity,” he says. “There’s a certain amount of pressure, no matter how experienced you are.”

For Rees, that pressure shifts when the spectacle gives way to the stopwatch. “There are bragging rights if you set a really quick time, but the opportunity to be a zero rather than a hero is always there,” he says. “If you get it wrong, you do it in front of your peers and the whole automotive world. But if you get it right, it’s wonderful.”

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