Team principal and founder to drive F1 car at Goodwood Festival of Speed today

Gene Haas will drive a Formula 1 car in public for the first time today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The founder of the Haas F1 team is set to pilot the 2023-spec VF-23 during the iconic hill climb on Friday, July 11 as part of the American outfit’s 10-year anniversary celebrations in F1.

The 72-year-old will be joined by team principal Ayao Komatsu, who will get behind the wheel of the VF-24. Komatsu took over day-to-day operations from Guenther Steiner last year, making the 2024 car a fitting choice for his Goodwood debut.

In preparation for the event, both Haas and Komatsu recently completed a private shakedown on the Stowe layout of the Silverstone circuit last week.

The four-day FoS began with Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Vice Chairman and former F1 driver Kazuki Nakajima driving the VF-23 up the hill. 

Haas and Toyota struck a technical partnership at the end of last year and the deal has already seen Kamui Kobayashi drive the same car at Paul Ricard in a private test this month.

Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon will also take turns in the VF-23 later in the weekend.

Also on display at Goodwood will be the VF-16, Haas’s first-ever F1 car, as well as the current VF-25 challenger, which will be transported directly from Silverstone following the British Grand Prix.