24/05/2006
NEWS STORY
Former F1 World Champion, Mika Hakkinen, is the latest star driver to confirm his attendance at the Festival of Speed, which is to be held on 7.8.9. July in the grounds of Goodwood House.
The double World Champion, who is making his debut appearance at Goodwood, is expected to take to the hill on Saturday and Sunday, driving a range of Mercedes racing cars.
Hakkinen joins the Festival's best-ever line-up of world-class motor sport legends. Six other F1 World Champions are already confirmed: Nigel Mansell, Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill and Alan Jones will all be in action, along with John Surtees – the only man to be World Champion on two wheels and four.
Goodwood's Forest Rally Stage will also see a stunning number of World Rally Champions in action, with Colin McRae, Hannu Mikkola, Petter Solberg, Stig Blomqvist and Bjorn Waldegaard all expected to take part. Also confirmed are Rauno Aaltonen and Sandro Munari, both of whom would surely have won the drivers' title, had that championship existed at the height of their careers. Other rally drivers who have reached the top of their profession are British Champions Russell Brookes and Marcus Dodd, who will be sliding sideways in the Goodwood forest all weekend.
From the world of touring cars, Goodwood welcomes three reigning Champions Andy Priaulx (WTCC), Matt Neal (BTCC) and Gary Paffett, who is both reigning DTM Champion and the choice of Festival sponsor dunhill for its 'Future Champion' award, which goes to a young British driver of outstanding talent.
Sports car heroes range from legendary names such as Sir Stirling Moss, Jochen Mass, Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell and Martin Brundle, to Oliver Gavin – who is reigning ALMS GT1 Champion and an ambassador for Festival sponsor Lloyds TSB Private Banking.
To round off this group of high-achievers, from the USA comes Richard Petty, the only man to win 200 NASCAR races in an amazing career, who will no doubt receive a great Festival reception. Also in action will be two TransAm Champions: Bob Tullius, who will be driving his Group 44 Jaguar XJS throughout the weekend and Hurley Haywood, who will drive the Audi 200 Quattro in which he took the TransAm title. In recognition of '100 Years of the Targa Florio', the Festival also features no less than six winners of the great Sicilian road race: Sir Stirling Moss, Gijs van Lennep, Vic Elford, Arturo Merzario, Sandro Munari and local Sicilian hero, Nino Vacarella.
Lord March said: "It's just fantastic to have so many champions here at Goodwood this year to celebrate our theme, which is 'Racing for Glory – A Century of Grands Prix'. It's great to welcome so many winners of the 'grand prizes' of motor sport. So much talent in one small area is a real treat for motor sport fans and I hope they'll enjoy the prospect seeing these drivers in action on both the hillclimb and Forest Rally Stage."