World champion Sebastian Vettel will star at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Red Bull Racing driver will make his first appearance at the annual motorsport extravaganza, along with team-mate Mark Webber and McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
Vettel's appearance was announced by Goodwood owner Lord March during a press conference at the West Sussex stately home this morning. The German, who will start his quest for a third world title on the trot in Australia on Sunday, fits in with the 'Young Guns' theme of this year's Festival.
Webber will also drive the Infiniti Emerg-e range extender sportscar, which will be having its first public appearance on the move. Seven of the 12 current F1 squads have committed to the June 28th-1st July event, which will also include a major tribute to the Lotus marque, celebrating 60 years since its first car was produced. The central sculpture outside Goodwood House will be Lotus-focused, and about 40 examples of the Norfolk manufacturer will be in action.
The Moving Motor Show element of the Festival also continues to flourish, with over 22 car manufacturers already signed up on the Thursday of the event.
There will be a strong focus on two-stroke motorcycles, celebrations of 50 years of Brabham, 30 years of Group C sports car racing and The Queen's car collection.
At today's announcement Lord March also revealed details of the Goodwood Revival historic race meeting that will take place in September. Among the highlights of that event will be a celebration of 50 years of AC Cobra, which will be commemorated with a special race.
Plans are also afoot to recreate the spirit of the fight between Auto Union and Mercedes in the 1937 British Grand Prix at Donington Park with up to 10 examples of the famous Silver Arrows machinery. It will be the first time the rival German cars will have been on track since the late 1930s. The driver homage at this year's Revival will be to American Dan Gurney, who will be reunited with many of his old racing cars.
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