Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The Goodwood Festival of Speed easily qualifies among the top events for nostalgic enthusiasts, with plenty of cars that would otherwise be a scarce sight, driving around. And this year, Formula 1 fans are about to get a fantastic trip down memory lane, as Mick Schumacher will drive his father's Mercedes W02.
That's not only a car that the great Michael Schumacher drove and scored points in. It's much, much more than that. It's a relic from a bygone era of Formula 1 when engines were still loud and racing was rowdy. But then the turbo hybrid era began.
It's also a car that represents Mercedes's humble beginning in the modern era of Formula 1 following a prolonged absence. And when I say modest, I mean that compared to the absolute dominance the team enjoyed in the turbo-hybrid era, scoring eight consecutive Constructors Championships and seven consecutive Drivers Championships.
But Mercedes did have to fight tooth and nail to achieve that level of greatness. The team was not immediately on the pace after buying Brawn GP, that won both titles in 2009. Mercedes did not have the advantage of an uncontested innovation quite like Brawn did in 2009.
But the team persevered in the search for peak performance. And Michael Schumacher's input was critical in the success Mercedes would end up enjoying over the following years. So, it's not only part of Mercedes' legacy but also the one left behind by one of Formula 1's best drivers of all time.
And seeing Michael's son, Mick, who is now a Mercedes reserve driver be given the opportunity to drive a car that his father helped develop and scored points in feels like going full circle. This is also something that Mick is very excited about, stating it's going to be a spectacular experience to drive one of Michael's F1 cars, especially one from the V8 era.
The young Schumacher will add the Mercedes W02 to an already impressive tally of cars raced by his father that he has already driven. The Silver Arrows car will join an illustrious company alongside Michael's Benetton B194 and the title-winning Ferraris from 2002, 2003, and 2004.
On top of that, Sebastian Vettel will also be driving some cars from his personal collection in a bid to champion the use of sustainable fuels. Among the vehicles that the four-time World Champion will bring to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, there will be two legends, namely the Williams FW14B and McLaren MP4/8, which are sure to send shivers down the spine of F1 fans.
So, it's safe to say that this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed has packed quite a pleasant surprise for Formula 1 fans of all ages. There's something special about getting to see cars with such a significant impact on the sport get driven by top-caliber drivers and teach a history lesson to new fans.
It's also a car that represents Mercedes's humble beginning in the modern era of Formula 1 following a prolonged absence. And when I say modest, I mean that compared to the absolute dominance the team enjoyed in the turbo-hybrid era, scoring eight consecutive Constructors Championships and seven consecutive Drivers Championships.
But Mercedes did have to fight tooth and nail to achieve that level of greatness. The team was not immediately on the pace after buying Brawn GP, that won both titles in 2009. Mercedes did not have the advantage of an uncontested innovation quite like Brawn did in 2009.
But the team persevered in the search for peak performance. And Michael Schumacher's input was critical in the success Mercedes would end up enjoying over the following years. So, it's not only part of Mercedes' legacy but also the one left behind by one of Formula 1's best drivers of all time.
And seeing Michael's son, Mick, who is now a Mercedes reserve driver be given the opportunity to drive a car that his father helped develop and scored points in feels like going full circle. This is also something that Mick is very excited about, stating it's going to be a spectacular experience to drive one of Michael's F1 cars, especially one from the V8 era.
The young Schumacher will add the Mercedes W02 to an already impressive tally of cars raced by his father that he has already driven. The Silver Arrows car will join an illustrious company alongside Michael's Benetton B194 and the title-winning Ferraris from 2002, 2003, and 2004.
On top of that, Sebastian Vettel will also be driving some cars from his personal collection in a bid to champion the use of sustainable fuels. Among the vehicles that the four-time World Champion will bring to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, there will be two legends, namely the Williams FW14B and McLaren MP4/8, which are sure to send shivers down the spine of F1 fans.
So, it's safe to say that this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed has packed quite a pleasant surprise for Formula 1 fans of all ages. There's something special about getting to see cars with such a significant impact on the sport get driven by top-caliber drivers and teach a history lesson to new fans.
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