My VIP trip to the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014 with Febreze Car

Blogging is a funny old business, one day you’ll be offered a bag of crisps to write 400 words on, another day you’ll be offered a once in a lifetime opportunity. Last week, I had both happen, and, as you’ve guessed by the title – this isn’t about crisps.

Febreze, which has been a fixture in the Hakes household for years now, have launched Febreze Car, a new range of car air fresheners. To spread the sweet smelling news, three drivers are heading across Europe in a ‘Roadtrip from Smell’ to partake in a selection of challenges that will test the prowess of the Febreeze Car. The challenges will appear on YouTube on the Febreze Channel over the next few weeks. Their journey started at Goodwood with celebrity passenger Denise Van Outen joining them in the car, and I was invited with a load of ‘proper’ writers and journalists to see them off.

It was a pretty surreal day, I knew a car would collect me at 8am – I was expecting the standard Adison Lee car, not today, oh no, a BEAUTIFUL Mercedes rocked up outside my house with a flipping suited and booted Chauffeur! I looked out the window a little baffled, the nice chauffeur was polishing the car as he waited, he was such a cliché. I went outside and he greeted me with a smile and opened the door for me.

Inside was a hamper full of goodies, pack with my ticket and schedule for the day, it all felt very surreal so much effort had been put in for an idiot like me!

The journey to Goodwood was long, and I remembered why I liked driving myself so much – I get horrendous travel sickness. My plan to watch some films on my Kindle quickly disappeared as I opted to shut my eyes and try and sleep.

My Merc rocked up to the VIP entrance where a suited security guard opened my door and escorted me through the entrance. Once inside the grounds I was gobsmacked at the size of it all – I had no idea what to expect, but it was VAST. I *LOVED* the Mercedes sponsored arch across Goodwood House.

I picked up my press accreditation and headed off to the private Pavilion that the nice folks at Febreze had hired for the event.

After a spot of lunch, my ‘plus one’, Dan arrived, just in time for the presentation about the Febreze European Tour and to hear more about Febreze Car. It was incredible to find out all about the ‘Science of Smell’, and how Febreze works to eliminate odours rather than mask them. The A-Level Chemistry geek in me lapped up the way the smell molecules actually reacted with Febreze to neutralise the odour – it’s amazing how something so small has so much science and technology inside!

It was time to meet Denise Van Outen, a woman I’d fawned over (and other things) in my teenage years, Denise officially started the Febreze Roadtrip and will be there for the Homecoming Ceremony next week. It was nice to meet her, although I was a little (lot) star struck!

Once the formalities of the day were over Dan and I sat outside the Pavillion watching all the cars doing the ‘Hill Climb’ – it was a great opportunity for a badly lit selfie and lots of ‘Panning Shots’ using the photo wizardry in my Samsung Galaxy S5.

Time was running out, and I was getting messages from my Chauffer that he was ready to collect me, so Dan and I wandered back to my meeting point. We happened upon Robert Llewellyn filming the new BMW i8. We hung around to watch the filming, and try to grab a picture with him. Behind where they were filming there was a GORGEOUS Koenigsegg One:1 being driven, rather randomly, by Craig Doyle (Yeah, I know – WHO?!).

I had to make my way home – I was gutted that I hadn’t seen more of the show, there is SO MUCH to see and do, I’d definitely go back next year for a proper look. I really can’t thank Febreze enough for their ‘VIP’ treatment, it really made it a day to remember.