Haas Team Owner Gene Haas Makes Debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Gene Haas, owner of the Haas Formula 1 team, showcased a unique engagement with motorsport by driving a VF-23 during the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed on Friday. This marked Haas’ first appearance at the festival, where he tackled the renowned hillclimb, an opportunity often unavailable to leaders in other sports.
Haas, alongside team principal Ayao Komatsu who drove a day earlier with Toyota’s Kazuki Nakajima, reflected on the experience, stating, “When Ayao first asked me about driving here at Goodwood, it seemed like an awful lot of work just for an excursion up a hill… now I understand why so many fans come here.” He emphasized the festival’s allure, highlighting its diverse showcase of classic and modern cars.
Driving the VF-23 offered Haas a firsthand experience of the challenges faced by F1 drivers. He noted, “My first impression of being in the Formula 1 car was that it’s very tight… the hardest thing to do though is to try to drive a very fast car at a very slow speed.”
The celebration of Haas F1’s tenth anniversary continues over the weekend, with drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman set to take part in activities on Saturday and Sunday.
For fans eager to follow the event, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is being streamed live, available via the RACER+ app.
