Riccardo Patrese on Reuniting with Williams Icons

There were many headline acts at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, as the iconic event took time to celebrate 75 years of Formula 1.

Among them was Riccardo Patrese, one of the standout names to take historic machinery up the hill across the weekend.

The Italian took four of his six career victories with Williams in the early 1990s and enjoyed his best season in the sport behind the wheel of the FW14B, finishing runner-up to teammate Nigel Mansell in our title-winning 1992 campaign.

The pair enjoyed an emotional reunion at the festival, both getting behind the wheel of the car that delivered such a memorable year. For Riccardo, it was an experience he won’t forget in a hurry.

“It was fantastic to rejoin my car of 1992, the 14B, the active car,” he told Williams. “It really gave us a fantastic year, dominant – Nigel World Champion, me vice-champion. I won in Suzuka so at the end, to get in the car again gave me so much satisfaction.

“It was fantastic, and it was also working very well. You know it’s a bit complicated because of all the electronics that are involved, but it was working very fine.

“So I had a great day, and I hope in the future other chances to drive it!”

The FW14B wasn’t the only classic Williams car Riccardo was reunited with across the weekend. He also climbed back into the cockpit of the very first Williams he drove: the FW11.

The FW11 had powered the team to a dominant Constructors’ Championship in 1986, before evolving into the FW11B – the final Honda-powered Williams. Riccardo made a single outing in the car at the final round of the 1987 season.

Following a landmark collaboration with Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and several months of meticulous, period-correct restoration by Williams Heritage, the FW11 has now been fully rebuilt to its original 1986 championship-winning specification.

“The feeling of the car is fantastic, it’s working perfectly – brand new I should say!” Riccardo shared.

“So the memories are nice, and here in Goodwood they’re special. I have known this place since 1998, and this is the first time I've seen it (the FW11), and the first time in 38 years that I’ve touched this car.

“This weekend I’ve had many emotional moments because I’ve driven three of the best cars of my career – because of that, I’m very happy.”