Video: Riding shotgun in a thundering Panoz LMP-1 at Goodwood

18th August 2022

Simon Ostler

The 1990s was a turbulent time for sportscar racing, as the Group C era was phased out and what would eventually become known as Le Mans Prototypes began arriving in 1992 before becoming the de-facto top level of Sportscar racing in 1994.

It was era that saw a return to open-cockpit prototypes, the likes of which we hadn’t seen since the 1970s. For the most part the open-cockpit philosophy was one of cost saving, the cars of that era certainly weren’t as streamlined as the Group C racers that had dominated the ’80s, but even so there were some truly memorable machines built during that time, including this Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S that first raced in the American Le Mans Series in 1999.

It also competed at Le Mans in both 1999 and 2000 alongside the likes of the BMW V12 LMR and Audi R8, and although it never fared particularly well – it achieved a best finish of fifth in 2000 – it still gained something of a cult following thanks to its pretty spectacular looks and its status as a front-engined beast among a field of largely mid-engined LMP machinery.

Looking out over that ridiculously long bonnet and listening to the sound of that 6.0-litre V8 roaring out in front of you is an experience not many will ever get, but this video will give you a pretty good idea of what it might be like as the Panoz hurtles around Goodwood in the hands of David Brabham and five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: How pitstops have changed in Gran Turismo