Hamilton to drive Senna’s McLaren at Festival of Speed

In just four weeks time Goodwood and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team will be making dreams come true for a number of motor racing enthusiasts – including the reigning F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton – at the annual Festival of Speed (3-5 July).

Lewis Hamilton’s dream is set to come true at Goodwood when he demonstrates the 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 turbo, as driven by his hero Ayrton Senna, up the famous 1.16-mile Festival of Speed hillclimb. Hamilton has been a life-long admirer of Senna, and the rare opportunity to drive the Brazilian’s World Championship-winning 1988 MP4/4 is too good to miss. It promises to be a real treat for both Lewis and his fan base.

In addition to driving Ayrton Senna’s 1988 car, Lewis Hamilton will also demonstrate his more familiar Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23, which took him to F1 World Championship victory last year, at the Festival.

Lewis will also make a member of the public’s dream come true at Goodwood as well. One very lucky buyer of a Festival of Speed ticket for Sunday 5th July will get the unique, once-in-a-lifetime chance to be driven up the Festival hillclimb in the incredible Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton as his or her ‘chauffeur.’

Goodwood race fans who have bought, or plan to buy, tickets for the Friday and/or Saturday of the Festival of Speed will also be given the opportunity to ride up the Hill in the SLR with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’s F1 test driver Pedro de la Rosa, who celebrates 10 years of F1 involvement this year.

Any buyer of a 2009 Festival of Speed ticket aged 18 or over that attends the event on any or all of the three days will be in with a chance of winning a ride up the Goodwood Hill in an SLR with either Pedro (Friday and Saturday) or Lewis (Sunday). A ticket stub will be drawn by Lord March once a day, and the lucky winner will be informed by midday on the day of his or her visit.

For more information, visit goodwood.co.uk