Hamilton to drive Senna McLaren

Lewis Hamilton will have the privilege of driving the McLaren MP4-4 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next Sunday. With the annual event showcasing a fantastic collection of motorsport memorabilia, a mix of Champions past and present will be mingling with the public as the 2008 title winner drives the most dominant car to have ever been seen in Formula One. The 1988 season will forever be remembered for the crushing defeat of the opposition by the McLaren team, winning all but one race with the very capable hands of Alain Prost and eventual Champion Ayrton Senna at the wheel. "After a busy few weeks I will get home, relax and do some proper training for the second half of the season," explained Hamilton, who finished a disappointing 16th in his home Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday. "I think we have more things to look forward to in the second half of the year and I want to be fully fit to make the most of them.

"Before that, I have a bit more fun on my schedule – I'm going to the Goodwood Festival next weekend, on Sunday 5th July, to drive Ayrton's 1988 McLaren up the hill. Whenever I go to the MTC (McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey), there are two cars that I love the most – the first is the McLaren F1 that I've set my heart on winning (promised by Ron Dennis in the event of Lewis emulating Senna's record of three World Championship titles) and the second is Ayrton's MP4-4."

With Gerhard Berger's victory in Italy for Ferrari being the only race not won by McLaren during the season 21 years ago, the dominant Honda-powered McLaren allowed Senna to clinch wins in half of the year's Grands Prix. "Even today, it still looks like the car to be racing!" Hamilton added. "About a month ago, I went down and sat in the car while the guys were preparing it for Goodwood – that is going to be a pretty cool moment!"