Historic race and rally news

Ex-mc la rent est driver back out in historic single-s eater s

Chris Goodwin, formerly chief test driver for Mclaren cars, has joined the Formula Junior grid this season in a 1962 Lotus 22.

The racer recently moved to Aston Martin to play a leading role in the development of the £2.5 million Valkyrie hypercar model, but loves to race historic cars in his spare time.

Goodwin has followed his father Tony into Formula Junior as Goodwin senior raced this type of car in the 1960s and raced a Lotus 20B in the Far East in 1965 and 1966. Tony is the president of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association.

“I bought it as they are greatlooking cars and the racing is terrific,” said Chris, who has extensive experience of racing modern GT cars.

“You can race against some great people on some great circuits. Previously I’d done one Formula Junior race at Goodwood in a borrowed car. I just enjoy driving the cars and I get a lot out of driving the cars of the 1960s.”

After a gearbox problem thwarted his first event in the new car at Donington Park in April, he returned to the Donington Historic Festival to take two top-six finishes in a strong rear-engined field.

His Lotus 22 was bought from America last year and rebuilt for racing by Andrew Hibberd.

Prior to Goodwin’s more recent outings, the car had not been raced in Europe since the 1960s.

Goodwin also has a Lotus 23B sports-racer, which he brings out occasionally, but hopes to concentrate on the Formula Junior this season, subject to work commitments.

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