The car that has turned the world of Formula One on its head will be the star attraction at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed — complete with its driver, Jenson Button. Brawn GP’s BGP001 may not be emblazoned with sponsors’ logos, but its distinctive fluorescent paint-job will mark it out. But don’t expect it to be the car Button will power up the tarmac driveway that doubles as a racetrack for the weekend.
The event, which kicks off in just over a month’s time, has played host to many great cars in the past, but bagging the machine that is leading the F1 championship — especially one as revolutionary as the Brawn — is a bit of a coup for the organisers. And Button, who has had a dream start to the championship — winning five out of six races so far — will no doubt be afforded a hero’s welcome by the crowd that lines the 1.16-mile route.
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For the uninitiated, the Festival of Speed takes place in the grounds of Goodwood estate, West Sussex, and is billed as the biggest celebration of motoring in Britain. It sees hundreds of exotic cars, from classic 1950s racers to modern-day monsters such as the Bugatti Veyron, take turns to race up Goodwood hill against the clock. The spectacle gives visitors the chance to catch a rare glimpse of some of the most famous machines in racing.
Since its inaugural year in 1993, the festival has run to a theme, and this year’s, True Grit — Epic Feats of Endurance, will speak especially clearly to the other F1 star who will be in action: Lewis Hamilton. Britain’s reigning F1 world champion has had a torrid start to the season, and perhaps pointedly, he won’t be driving his current F1 car, but will instead be at the wheel of Ayrton Senna’s 1988 McLaren MP4/4 turbo.
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The festival’s global appeal isn’t exclusive to motor sport drivers and riders. Peter Fonda, the Hollywood actor, will be making a guest appearance. He plans to breeze up the hill on a replica of the chopper he rode in Easy Rider. Read Full Story
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