Mercedes brings pitstop challenge and Vesti in the W13 to Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mercedes will send reserve driver Frederik Vesti up the 1.17-mile Goodwood hillclimb in the W13 from Friday to Sunday at this year’s Festival of Speed, the team has confirmed, with the car wearing the squad’s 2026 livery for the occasion.

The W13 is the chassis in which George Russell claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. Vesti, attending the festival for the third time, will be the sole on-track representative for the Silver Arrows across the weekend.

“I’m very excited to be attending this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed,” the Danish driver said. “I can’t wait to be in the car, taking on the hillclimb, and experiencing all that Goodwood has to offer. It’s such a special event, and the Hill is like nothing else.”

Off the hillclimb, Mercedes is debuting an open-plan paddock hub designed to replicate the working environment of a live F1 garage. The installation is described as a pilot concept the team intends to take to grands prix later in the season.

Visitors to the hub will be able to use racing simulators and attempt a live pitstop challenge on a 2018 W09 chassis, coached by current and former Mercedes mechanics as they try to complete a tyre change in under two seconds.

“It’s been a very exciting season for the team so far, so I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction to our new fan hub,” Vesti added. “It’s such an awesome space for our fanbase to come together. I can’t wait to spend time in there over the weekend, meeting our incredible supporters, and trying my hand at the pitstop challenge. It will truly bring our fans into the world of Mercedes F1 like never before.”