Haas have announced that team founder and owner Gene Haas, as well as team boss Ayao Komatsu, will get behind the wheel of Formula 1 machinery at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed.
After marking their 200th F1 start at the recent Canadian Grand Prix, the US-led operation will continue celebrations with a series of activities at the annual motorsport gathering, which features a world-famous hillclimb.
This includes Gene Haas driving the 2023-specification VF-23 on Friday, July 11, with Komatsu also making an appearance in the following season’s VF-24.
Haas revealed that the pair got their first taste of F1 machinery together during a private shakedown at Silverstone a couple of weeks ago, with Gene completing a handful of laps on the Stowe track configuration.
Kazuki Nakajima, Vice Chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe, will kick off the four-day event by driving the VF-23 on Thursday, July 10, alongside Komatsu in the VF-24, before full-time Haas drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon take over weekend driving duties.
Alongside their hillclimb activities, Haas will have a strong presence within the Ballroom Paddock, showcasing the VF-16 – the team’s first F1 car – as well as the VF-25, which will be raced in the British Grand Prix just a few days before.
Haas’ activities at Goodwood coincide with the Festival of Speed’s celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of the F1 World Championship – several other teams and drivers up and down the grid are also set to attend the event.