A host of F1 drivers and teams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Held in the magnificent park surrounding Goodwood House, the Goodwood Festival took place this weekend. This hillclimb gave fans the chance to see a host of racing cars, including former Formula 1 cars driven by the sport's leading drivers.
This is one of the most anticipated moments every year by motorsport fans. The Goodwood Festival, held in West Sussex, England, took place last week from Thursday to Sunday. Four intense days that allowed to see a variety of historical cars and motorcycles mixed with some more current ones. The festival was also marked by the presence of multiple Formula 1 drivers and teams, who took the opportunity to promote their brands through different car models.
Among them, how could we not mention Red Bull, which arrived with seven different Formula 1 cars, driven by some of their top drivers to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the energy drink brand in the top discipline of motor sport. Daniel Ricciardo did a few laps in the RB7, Mark Webber in the RB6, and then the triple world champion Max Verstappen from the Netherlands made the engine of the RB16 roar, the car with which he won his first world championship in 2021.
Yes, that is @danielricciardo doing donuts in the RB7 in front of the Goodwood House. We’re in shock too. #Red BullRacing #FOS pic.twitter.com/KpoejSYMMu
— Goodwood FOS (@fosgoodwood) July 14, 2024
This event also provided an opportunity to unveil the famous Hypercar RB17 by Adrian Newey, a revolutionary car with a top speed higher than its Formula 1 counterparts, while retaining amazing handling that makes it a usable car for everyday driving.
Video of the best hillclimbs from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Sunday
However, Red Bull was not the only team present at Goodwood, as five other teams were also there: Alpine, Williams, McLaren, Mercedes, and Scuderia Ferrari. On the French side, Jack Doohan, reserve driver, and the two drivers from the academy Kush Maini and Sophia Flörsch, were sent to test the old cars from the French brand, notably the E20, a single-seater raced during the 2012 Formula 1 season, when the team was still called Lotus and held a victory that season thanks to Kimi Räikkönen at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
As close to the action as you can be
Ride onboard with @frederik_vesti as he talks you through his @fosgoodwood run 📻 pic.twitter.com/DmzPkdTVfu
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 14, 2024
.@OllieBearman does loads of donuts and gets lost onto the grass! Ollie put on a brilliant show for the fans trackside, and helps trim the grass whilst he’s at it. #FOS pic.twitter.com/HyRx9ZKiHt
— Goodwood FOS (@fosgoodwood) July 13, 2024
The Alpine team also took advantage of this show to showcase some of its sports cars, such as the brand new A290, a 100% sporty city car with a single battery inside, or its Alpenglow, demonstrating the team’s commitment to sustainable development and competition through the installation of two hydrogen tanks on either side of the cockpit, allowing the driver to merge with the vehicle.
On its side, the McLaren team wanted to pay tribute to one of its most famous drivers, Ayrton Senna, who tragically died at Imola 30 years ago. The unveiling of a Senna supercar painted in the colors of Brazil was memorable. His nephew, Bruno Senna, himself a former Formula 1 driver, was able to climb the famous 3.8 km Goodwood hill aboard the MP4/6, the car that allowed his uncle to win his third and final world championship title in 1991.
The other British team present, Williams, wanted to pay tribute to its industry through the theme “From horse to hybrid”, covering 130 years of the Grove brand’s existence. Through this distinction, the team had its two regular drivers, Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, drive the legendary FW08 from 1982, which allowed Keke Rosberg to win the driver’s title.
Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso were also part of the event. Although the Aston Martin Formula 1 team was not present at the Festival, the Spaniard took the opportunity to unveil the Aston Martin Valiant, a unique model that he himself designed in collaboration with his team. An exceptional single-seater, blending an aggressive and classic design, it is equipped with a twin-turbo V12 engine developing 745 hp and 753 Nm of torque, as well as a manual gearbox.
« The Valiant was born from my passion for driving at the limit. I enjoyed working closely with the Q by Aston Martin team on the design and technical specifications. I think we have created a true masterpiece », explained the double world champion.
Multiple Formula 1 drivers were therefore present at Goodwood, an unmissable annual festival, offering motorsport enthusiasts the opportunity to observe the most iconic single-seaters from each automotive discipline.
