Broadcaster Tony Jardine set to race Grand Prix drivers in first Ferrari drive at Goodwood
ITV and now Sky Sports presenter Tony Jardine will take on the might of the Grand Prix world, both past and present, when he joins forces with exotic car expert and Ferrari fan Paul Osborn at the Goodwood Revival races on 1-3 September.
Jardine will make his Ferrari debut in Osborn’s rare 250 GT Lusso, when the duo pit their skills against no less than twelve former and current Grand Prix drivers, five Le Mans winners and two Indycar winners in the classic one hour Tourist Trophy race for sports cars. The race features as a centre piece of the cult Goodwood Revival - a highlight of the motorsport year, held at the glorious Sussex track of Lord March.
In a magical step back in time for both drivers and spectators, this classic car event, famous for its exotic machinery, accurate recreation of a bygone era and its competitive, hard-nosed racing, attracts 100,000 spectators. Race stars from motorsport’s glorious past and present now consider it a ‘must go’ event.
Current Red Bull Grand Prix drivers Tonio Liuzzi and Christian Klien will drive an AC Cobra and Lister Jaguar respectively, while Le Mans winners Jackie Oliver, Johnny Herbert and former Ferrari F1 driver Derek Bell - who won the 24 hour race five times - will drive lightweight Jaguar E-types.
In amongst a bevy of stars will be Tony Jardine, driving a Ferrari for the very first time. “I have never driven a Ferrari on the road, never mind a rare and beautiful 250 GT Lusso on track in anger”, commented Jardine. “I won’t be intimidated by the legends of the track around me, but rather savour the fact that I can just be in the same race as some of my heroes.
“I am incredibly grateful to Paul for giving me this first time Ferrari drive and a chance to race against the best in the business.”
Jardine will share the driving duties and pit stops with the car’s enthusiastic owner Paul Osborn who, in addition to being an F1 and Ferrari fan, is also the owner of Cars International in Canary Wharf. Osborn is a competitive driver as well, but through his business he is a world-wide dealer and authority on classic and exotic cars. Paul owns two F1 Ferraris; one, the ex-Jean Alesi F93a V12 and the other, an ex-Michael Schumacher F2002, also famous for being tested by Martin Brundle for ITV’s F1 programme.
Osborn not only sells and races a fabulous array of cars, but he is now building a separate preparation arm, Cars International Service Ltd, with former top Williams F1 engineer Tim Preston, who worked with 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill, Juan Pablo Montoya and 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button.
Preston will be in charge of the team at Goodwood which has encouraged Osborn, “I am excited as Tony by the prospect of being in such a star-studded race, and I am looking forward to seeing if he is as good with a racing car as he is with a microphone. I am also thrilled that we have our own Cars International Ferrari team, with real F1 engineering talent in the form of Tim Preston. We are both looking forward to working with a top engineer.”
