We Can’t Get Enough of This Vintage Jaguar E-Type on Goodwood Circuit
Put a great driver in a car with big power and skinny tires and watch in amazement.
Goodwood has a few events per year, with the most widely known event, the Festival of Speed, happening in autumn. Springtime heralds the Members Meeting races, and that’s where we find this 1961 Jaguar F-type Fixed Head Coupe racing a Ferrari “Breadvan.” As with all Goodwood races, the speeds are high and the racing is close, but this Jaguar puts on an incredible show.
Due to unseasonably cold temperatures – there were snow flurries throughout the weekend – traction became increasingly hard to find. This made the Jaguar’s performance at the lead a true show of talent. The best part comes from an onboard view from the Ferrari, where through an entire turn the Jaguar is jinxed sideways, holding on at the very limit of adhesion that the tires can give.
The announcers can’t contain themselves while watching, exclaiming over each other: “Absolutely incredible!” “A lovely drift all the way through.” And better yet, the action keeps unfolding as the Jaguar makes sure to defend its position over the charging Ferrari. The waggily tail of the Jaguar might have been enough to fend off the Italian, especially considering they are multi-million dollar pieces of machinery.
One particular chicane had the Jaguar driver really earning his keep, as he powers out of the slow turn in a lurid power-slide. Again the announcers are beside themselves in awe. One noting, “full opposite-lock, and he gathers it up beautifully!”
But with skinny tires and low grip, they also point out the obvious: “he’s having great fun.” And we would have to agree. Out on track with a few dozen other classic GT cars sure sounds like a great day to us, even if it was a bit cold.
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