Jenson Button to star at Goodwood

F1 car to make FoS hill climb

By PH Staff / Friday, 16 June 2006 / Loading comments

Jenson Button in the Honda F1 car

Honda Racing F1's Jenson Button and racing champion John Surtees will join a host of Honda star drivers to pilot the company’s famous two and four wheel machines at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS).

Button will be driving both his current F1 car and the V12 RA301 which last turned a wheel in anger back in the Mexican Grand Prix of 1968. Fellow team-member, Honda Racing F1 Sporting Director and former Indy car champion, Gil De Ferran will also take the famous RA301 up the Goodwood hill.

Honda has been involved with the FoS since it began 14 years ago. Each celebration of motorsport prompts Honda to bring racing machines worth millions of pounds from the Collection Hall in Japan. This year’s Festival of Speed theme is "A Century of Grand Prix" and Honda's heritage places the manufacturer right in the heart of the action.

As well as displaying renowned racers from the past, Honda will run the very latest F1 car. Jenson Button sits behind the wheel of RA106 on Sunday, with his team-mate and Honda test driver, Anthony Davidson, on the Saturday run at Goodwood.

"The Festival of Speed is a really fantastic event where the fans can experience F1 in a safe, totally unique and fun setting," commented Jenson.

Celebrating 40 years of Honda in Formula 1 will be former World Champion John Surtees – reunited with his V12 F1 racer, the RA300. John won the Italian Grand Prix in this car back in 1967.

Also, the current British Touring Car Champion, Matt Neal will be in action on all three days in his Honda Integra, a firm favourite with British fans and a driver certain to please spectators at the Festival with his committed approach.