European-Minardi F1 two-seater debuts at Goodwood.

The unique European Minardi F1x2 two-seater Formula One car yesterday made its first-ever appearance at the legendary Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England.

The team has brought two of its fleet of eight chassis to the event and will be running twice each day in the course of the three-day extravaganza that celebrates all aspects of motor sport.

Ensuring an authentic Formula One experience for the lucky passengers, 'chauffeurs' during the Goodwood weekend will be rising young Italian star,
Andrea Piccini, one of the European Minardi F1 team's official testers who this year drives for European Minardi in the FIA International F3000 Championship, and European Aviation Group boss, Paul Stoddart, an accomplished racer in his own right.

On this occasion, the five passenger rides - the first run up the Goodwood hill on Friday is simply for familiarisation purposes and is undertaken by the driver on his own - have been allocated to charity auction and competition winners.

Amazingly, one of this weekend's passengers flew in from Djakarta, Indonesia, just for the occasion. The lucky individuals who will get to experience first-hand the performance of a modern Formula One car are:

Bobby Arifin - Snowdrop Charity/Goodwood Festival of Speed website.
John Sharpe - The Times.
Sean Escott - The Sunday Times.
Nick Stadman - ITV F1.
Barry Smith - ITV F1.

"The Goodwood Festival of Speed is always a fantastic event and to be taking part this year with our two-seater F1 cars is particularly pleasing," said Paul Stoddart. "I know the cars will put on a good show and, as ever, I'm sure our passengers will have the ride of a lifetime. I can assure you, we will derive as much enjoyment from seeing their faces when they climb out of the car as we will from driving the famous Goodwood hill itself. It should be a wonderful few days and all of us at European Minardi are really looking forward to the occasion."