How Liam Lawson secured unplanned Goodwood run in iconic Ford GT40

Jamie Woodhouse
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Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, pictured at the 2026 British Grand Prix

Liam Lawson drove the Ford #2 GT40 at Goodwood, an iconic car in New Zealand racing culture

Hands shaking, Liam Lawson did not want to get out after driving the legendary #2 Ford GT40 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Lawson was not even scheduled to drive this car, but approached the owner and got the green light to tick off a bucket list experience. This is a car steeped in New Zealand racing history, having been raced to Le Mans victory by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.

Liam Lawson enjoys ‘very special’ Ford GT40 drive

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Racing Bulls driver Lawson was in attendance for the 2026 running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. He got behind the wheel of the Gunther Werks F26 Porsche and Ford Supervan 4, but it did not end there.

Lawson locked eyes on the #2 Ford GT40 in attendance. His fellow New Zealanders Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of this machine, heading a Ford 1-2-3.

A car so iconic in his country’s racing culture, Lawson could not resist putting in a request to drive it. That request was granted.

Interviewed, still in the car, after taking the GT40 up the Goodwood hill, Lawson said that his hands were “still shaking.”

He added: “So very, very special. Obviously, a lot of New Zealand history in this car.

“I got to drive something similar. I got to drive a road going GT40 last year, and the whole time all I could think about was this car.

“I didn’t expect to come here and drive it. I saw it today, and I asked, ‘Can I please? That’d be really, really special.’ And the owner was kind enough to let me drive it. So very, very special.”

Put to him that this was a bucket list item ticked off, Lawson agreed: “100 per cent. That’s why everyone’s out of their cars, and I’m still sitting in there. So I’m probably going to stay in here for a little bit.”

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Lawson almost stayed within the RPM limit that he was given. It was impossible not to be all-consumed by the magic of the experience.

“The feeling you get when driving a car like this is completely indescribable,” he said. “It’s not like anything that we drive currently. The vibration, sort of the frequency, the noise.

“I was given an RPM limit not to go over, but you just can’t help yourself. I didn’t go over it too much! You just can’t help yourself. When it starts coming up in the RPM and the car just starts singing, it’s incredible. It was very, very enjoyable for me.”

Lawson has been on his best form yet in Formula 1 during 2026. He has failed to score points only twice.

With 39 on the board, Lawson sits P10 in the Drivers’ standings.

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