Karun Chandhok returns to Petrol Head Paradise
Goodwood (England), 2 July 2012: Indian racing star Karun Chandhok returned to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the annual hill-climb event featuring historic motor racing vehicles from over 100 years of worldwide motor racing history, including many of the latest F1 machines. The Festival pays homage to the most significant and salient cars in the history of international motor sport, with entry by personal invitation only by the organizer, Lord March. Earlier this year Chandhok became the first Indian to compete the iconic Le Mans 24hrs when he finished in an impressive 6th position.
The event, which is held on the grounds of Goodwood House, is owned by Lord March and attracts crowds of over 200,000 people each year, a release from Adrenna Communications said. This year Chandhok had the opportunity to drive the Silk Cut Jaguar XJR12, winner of the prestigious 1990 Le Mans 24 hours event. Last year Chandhok drove the Team Lotus T127 (this year Team Caterham), which the team ran in the 2010 World Championship, and the previous year Karun had the opportunity to drive Keke Rosberg’s 1982 championship winning Williams.
Aside from the machines, the event attracts a host of names from the past and present of motor racing, offering a rare chance to see world-famous names driving a wide range of classic and modern cars. Present drivers at the Goodwood Festival of Speed included reigning F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel, his team-mate Mark Webber, McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg and Heikki Kovalainen. Past racers included 4-time World Champion Alain Prost, Sir Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill, Stirling Moss and 5-time Le Mans 24hrs winner Derek Bell.
Karun Chandhok was happy to be back at his favourite summer haunt. “This is definitely one of my favourite events of the summer as I love coming here year after year. Everyone knows I love the history of the sport and the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a great opportunity for fans to get up close and personal with stars and cars. It was great to drive the 1990 winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR12 and compare it to my 2012 JRM HPD ARX-03a. Lord March puts on a great show on his gardens and the 200,000 people here this weekend will undoubtedly go home very happy. The red arrows and typhoon fighter jets have added to the spectacle too! The Tag Heuer Alain Prost collection this year is absolutely stunning with some of his greatest cars. He was my childhood hero and it’s amazing to see the tribute to him. It was also a great chance for me to catch up again with other F1 folk like Webber, Jenson, Lewis and Seb.”
From current Formula 1 racers and 200mph supercars to steam-powered carriages of the 19th Century, and from 3000bhp top fuel dragsters to classic rally cars, the Goodwood Festival of Speed attracts the heroic and the evocative from every era in an exuberant display of style, sound, smell and colour.
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