Vettel To Drive Senna’s McLaren, Mansell’s Williams At Goodwood Festival Of Speed 2023

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel is set to step behind the wheel of some iconic F1 cars from his personal collection at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed. The retired F1 driver will be climbing into the cockpit of his ex-Nigel Mansell 1992 Williams FW14B and ex-Ayrton Senna 1993 McLaren MP4/8.

The four-time world champion already stretched the legs of his FW14B at a pre-race show last year in Silverstone. It wasn’t just a joyride though. In recent years Sebastian has been pushing for major climate change awareness amongst other social causes and he made it a point to run the iconic Williams on pure biofuels producing zero emissions. He ran the FW14B with the “Race without a Trace” logo emblazoned on the side of the airbox and will likely do the same with the two cars he’s bringing to Goodwood.

The Williams FW14B competed during the 1992 season and incorporated some cutting-edge technology for its time. It featured a semi-automatic transmission that allowed the drivers, Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese, to shift gears without using a clutch. The car also had active suspension, which automatically adjusted the ride height and stiffness, optimising its performance throughout the race.

The FW14B was incredibly dominant during the 1992 season with a staggering 15 pole positions and 10 wins out of 16 races, securing the Constructors' Championship for Williams and the Drivers' Championship for Mansell.

The McLaren MP4/8 meanwhile was driven by Ayrton Senna during the 1993 season where he finished runner-up to Alain Prost. It was his final season with McLaren before he orchestrated a move to the all-conquering Williams outfit for 1994. Senna won five races that season and coupled with the then-Benetton youngster, Michael Schumacher, were the only non-Williams drivers to win races in 1993. One of these victories included his famous performance at Donington Park where, in a single lap, he went from fourth on the grid to first overtaking arch-rival Prost for the lead in a wet weather masterclass.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, will take place from the 13th to the 16th of July.