The first ever Sonoma Speed Festival will open on May 30. It aims to offer a broad range of racing categories right from the Brass Era to the modern age, all competing at the illustrious Sonoma Raceway, in the heart of California’s wine country. Now the organisers have announced that one of the star attractions will be the W07 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 car that was driven by Lewis Hamilton to an impressive 10 wins, nine poles and 14 podiums in the 2016 season. The W07 Hybrid scored a record-breaking 765 championship points in a single season and this particular car remains the most successful individual chassis ever in the history of Formula 1.
Members of the current racing team will arrive directly from the Monaco Grand Prix to prepare the car, including chief mechanic and head of heritage at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Matt Deane: “We are delighted to be involved in the inaugural Sonoma Speed Festival. We look forward to meeting and spending time with both existing and new American Formula 1 fans and to running on track in California for the first time with the Mercedes-Benz W07 Hybrid, says Matt.” Powered by the Mercedes-Benz PU106C Hybrid turbocharged engine, it has an estimated output between 900 to 950 horsepower and, weighing 1547.6 pounds, it is undoubtedly going to set some very impressive times around the 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway.
The herculean effort required to arrange the running of this car is not to be underestimated and Sonoma Speed Festival event owner Jeff O’Neill looks forward to the team’s arrival this summer: “To have Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport running at the event is far beyond just ‘terrific’. The team’s participation in this form will be a first in the US and promises to be a memorably historic moment on American turf.” With a weekend of racing combined with world-class food and wine on offer, the Sonoma Speed Festival will be on from 30 May to 2 June and is shaping up to be an unmissable event, be sure to head on over to their website for further information.
Images courtesy of Sonoma Speed Festival
