Goodwood Festival of Speed: F1 boss drives legendary Adrian Newey car in emotional appearance

james vowles, zak brown, williams, mclaren — Photo: © IMAGO

Goodwood Festival of Speed

F1 boss drives legendary Adrian Newey car in emotional appearance

Williams team principal James Vowles opted for a new team role this weekend

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 13 July 2025 11:57

This weekend marked the 2025 edition of Goodwood Festival of Speed, and with it came the biggest celebration of F1 ever held at the iconic motorsport estate.

This year's theme, 'The Winning Formula – Champions and Challengers' pays homage to F1, with drivers, champions and major figures making an appearance on the famous balcony to celebrate its 75th year as an official championship.

Goodwood FOS is home to the weird and the wonderful in motorsport, and this year saw multiple F1 bosses try their hand at the wheel, as James Vowles, Zak Brown and Ayao Komatsu were among those on driving duties this weekend.

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Despite welcoming a newborn baby earlier this week, Vowles still found time to get behind the wheel of an iconic piece of F1 machinery at FOS, piloting Nigel Mansell's 1992 FW14B on the hill.

Speaking in a video posted by Williams on 'X', Vowles said: "It's been a childhood dream of mine to do Goodwood in a 14B, I mean, that's not true, first of all just to see the 14B and touch it was a childhood dream but to go beyond there and have the ability to drive it in Goodwood in front of hundreds of thousands of people was a dream come true."

Vowles previously admitted to getting emotional when preparing for his run in the championship-winning machinery, with the opportunity clearly a memorable moment for the team principal.

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The 16-time championship winners boast a rich history in F1 and this weekend fielded two of their most recognisable pieces of machinery.

Vowles was not the only Williams star to take the FW14B, which was partially designed by now Aston Martin technical chief Adrian Newey, for a spin, with F1 Academy driver Lia Block and team ambassador Jamie Chadwick also driving the iconic car across the event.

Not only were the packed crowds treated to the very same machinery which Mansell piloted to his championship victory in 1992, but they were also lucky enough to be present in his company as well.

The former Williams driver took to the balcony along with a whole host of F1 champions as part of the celebrations and was also reunited with the newly restored FW11, the car that earned Williams the 1986 constructors’ trophy.

Discussing Mansell's appearance at the FOS, Vowles added: "We have one radio frequency so he and I have been chatting together whilst I'm driving the 14B and that sort of blows my mind.

"He's as cool as a cucumber and it's been fantastic to have him with us here."