Lewis Hamilton drives in for Brooklands festival (From Surrey Comet)

Lewis Hamilton drives in for Brooklands festival

9:36am Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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Temperatures soared on Saturday, as Lewis Hamilton took to the track at Mercedes-Benz World to burn some rubber.

He was there to mark the two-day Brooklands Motoring Festival: The Double Twelve, alongside fellow motoring legends Sir Stirling Moss and Heikki Kovalainen.

The car was the same one that drove Hamilton to victory in the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix and stood strong against iconic cars from the past century, which also went head to head on the track.

The Double Twelve, a series of driving tests judged by a select panel of experts is designed to measure driver's skills and the elegance of their cars. It incorporates tests taken from the JCC Rallies of the 1930s including test hill, steering test, wiggle woggle, parking test, quick start and a half mile.

Vehicles judged against the exacting criteria of a Concours D'Elegance included a Bizzarini GT, an Aston Martin DB4, a GT4 Zagato and the Austin Healey "Frogeye" Sprites.

After Hamilton whizzed around the track, he paused to sign autographs for the excited crowd, with one seven-year-old boy getting a toy replica of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car signed, minutes after he had seen the real one driven metres from him.

"Lewis is my favourite. He's really nice and he shook my hand," said James Hayhoe. "I'm going to put this on my shelf or take it to school to show everyone."

The entertainment also extended to the skies, with a show from Blue Eagles Helicopter Display Team, part of the Army Air Corps. With crash-test demonstrations, power sliding and the chance for visitors to navigate 10 acres of rough terrain with steep slopes and water-crossings, the event was a great day out for families and petrol heads alike.

Activities continued on the Sunday, with thousands enjoying more motoring treats.

Watch a video of the festival

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