Williams Components 1 crew principal James Vowles stated it was a dream come true to participate within the Goodwood Pageant of Pace with the FW14B, which he described as a “beast”.
Whereas finest identified for his roles as Mercedes’ former strategic director and now the crew boss at Williams, Vowles additionally has a background as a racing driver, having taken half in a number of sportscar occasions lately.
Throughout the 2021 season, he spent his spare time racing saloon automobiles at UK membership degree earlier than progressing to GT4 and GT3 equipment. He even contested the complete 2022 Asian Le Mans Collection in Storage 59’s McLaren 720S GT3.
By way of F1 equipment, Vowles had beforehand sampled the Williams FW08 that carried Keke Rosberg to the 1982 title.
However on Saturday, he received behind the wheel of what’s arguably probably the most iconic automotive within the Grove-based crew’s historical past: Nigel Mansell’s championship-winning FW14B from the 1992 season.
“Proper, that’s day over for me at Goodwood and what an unimaginable day it’s been,” he stated. “It’s been a childhood dream of mine to do Goodwood within the FW14B. Initially, that’s not true. To see the 14B and contact it will be a childhood dream.
“However to transcend that and have the flexibility to drive it at Goodwood in entrance of lots of of hundreds of individuals—it’s a dream come true.”
The FW14B is taken into account some of the technologically superior F1 automobiles ever constructed, because of its refined traction management system, lively suspension, and different cutting-edge electronics.
Naturally, Vowles was left spellbound after taking the automotive up the well-known hillclimb at Goodwood Home.
“The 14B itself is a correct racing automotive. There’s simply no two methods about it. It’s very gentle, very nimble, with an enormous quantity of energy. And a spot like Goodwood—it’s a unbelievable factor to be.
“It’s nonetheless only a highway that’s fairly dusty, with hay bales round us. So a word of warning while I’m nonetheless having fun with my time on the market.”
He added: “It’s good. What I really like about that is the heritage crew have performed such a superb job. That is all unique. That is actually Nigel’s automotive that he gained the championship with in 1992.
“So every part is one in every of one on this one, so I can guarantee you what goes by way of your thoughts is ‘take care of it on a regular basis’. Nevertheless it’s a beast—it simply urges you to go sooner and sooner.”
Vowles’s day at Goodwood was made much more particular by the truth that he had direct radio contact with Mansell throughout his runs.
“We’ve got Nigel Mansell right here who’s driving the FW11,” he revealed. “We’ve got one radio frequency, so he and I’ve been chatting collectively while I’m driving the 14B, and that form of blows my thoughts.
“He’s as cool as a cucumber and it’s unbelievable to have him right here immediately.”
