Drivers at Goodwood, June 24-26 by Jonathan Sharp
James Martin is a famous British TV celebrity chef and a big petrol head. He is about to driver Jaguar D type XKD605 reg number 393RW, winner of the 1956 Reims 12 hour race.
Having managed to miss last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed due to illness, I was very keen not to miss this year’s event no matter what the weather. The prediction of rain proved to be very accurate especially on Thursday when during the afternoon the heavens opened and what was already a muddy site became in places a quagmire. Still this is England and rain will not stop play.
Having now attended the event on and off since the late 1990s I tend to now spend a lot of time in the paddock, and more recently the assembly area rather than on the hill climb itself. It is in the assembly area that one can truly pick up on the general feeling of the event. The vibe, especially among the drivers I was able to meet, is of a genuine happiness to be there. Even the current F1 hot shots seem to see it as a great event that they want to attend rather than just another PR chore that they have to attend. As to the more mature drivers and riders, you can bump into them almost anywhere and they are happy to talk; in fact some of the drivers have been known to say that the fans they meet know more about their careers than they do. You will read elsewhere what cars where at the event and who went fastest up the hill. What I wanted to do was show the drivers at play which I hope you will enjoy.
Derek Bell has a word with Rene Arnoux.
Arnoux is as fast as ever.
Arturo Mezzario and Emerson Fittipaldi.
Mezzario with the 1975 WSC title winning turbocharged Flat 12 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT12.
Frank Biela demonstrated an Audi V8 Quattro DTM title-winning car from the 1990 season throughout the weekend.
The celebration of the Centenary of BMW was one of the main themes of the festival and the organizers had brought together a good selection of former BMW drivers including Riccardo Patrese, Marc Surer, Johnny Cecotto, Yannick Dalmas, Steve Soper and Alex Zanardi.
Kenny Brack and Lord March enjoy a moment at Sunday evening’s prize giving ceremony.
Brian Redman having fun and looking fit in the 1969 Can Am Porsche 917/PA.
Martin Brundle, Grand Prix driver and now Sky TV F1 race commentator.
Brundle listening to his wife.
Johnny Cecotto with his mount for the weekend, the ex-James Hunt McLaren M23.
Karun Chandhok in Williams Renault FW13B.
Chandhok, Martin Brundle and Jonathan Palmer.
Dalmas won Le Man in a Williams BMW.
Behind Yannick Dalmas is the 1998 BMW V12 LM, An early retirement was the only reward for the 1998 Le Mans 24 hour race. Yannick won the Le Mans 24 hour race the following year sharing a BMW V12 LMR with Winkelhock and Martini, an example of which was displayed high up in the air in front of Goodwood House as part of Gerry Juda’s massive BMW centenary sculpture.The cars in the sculpture are actual working vehicles. Click to see how he does it.
David Brabham.
Dutch driver André De Vries and McLaren Honda.
Fittipaldi being interviewed.
Carl Forgarty, ex World Superbike champion. He has his fingers in his ears due to the sound of the Honda RC174.
Freddy Hunt, the son of James Hunt was there to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his father’s F1 world championship.
Marc Gene, Ferrari test driver who drove the Ferrari F10 F1 car from the 2010 season.
Actor Keanu Reeves was there to promote the Arch Motor Cycle company of which he is the co-founder.
Keanu Reeves thanks Lord March for a fantastic weekend, and so say all of us who attended.
Jenson Button was in attendance, as was his 2009 world championship winning Brawn Mercedes BGP001.
Unfortunately as Jenson current races for McLaren Honda and the Brawn has a Mercedes engine, he was unable to drive his World Championship-winning car up the hill. He had to make do with Ayrton Senna’s McLaren Honda MP4/6 from 1991. Martin Brundle had the pleasure of peddling the Brawn up the hill throughout the three days.
VW World Rally Championship Works driver Jari Matti Latvala from Finland.
Adam Keeler had entered an ex Will Gollop Rallycross Metro 6R4 into the event. At some time the car had been used in Finland so the switches in the car had been marked in Finnish. Keeler was asking Latvala what each switch meant.
Mike “the gun slinger” Skinner had every intention of taking the fastest time of the meeting in his 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Super Truck Series Toyota Tundra. His time of 50.44 secs over the course gave him third place behind Kenny Brack in a McLaren P1 LM (47.07 secs) and Olly Clark in his 780 BHP Subaru Impreza (46.29 secs ) Mike had used a Max Pappis steering wheel made especially for the event which as can be seen in the photo he presented to Lord March in gratitude at Sundays prize giving.
Marc Surer.