Lewis's Last Lap At Mercedes-Benz World

WEYBRIDGE, United Kingdom – November 26, 2008: As one Lewis sped his way to F1 victory, another has retired from the tarmac. Brooklands veteran, 92 year old Lewis Elgood, recently returned to the historic site to watch his granddaughter follow in the family footsteps.

An avid member of the Brooklands Society, Mr Elgood along with his brother, Fredrick “FE” Elgood, competed and won some of the most difficult racing challenges hosted at the historic circuit. Their biggest win was the Baddeley trophy – awarded to the brothers for driving at a constant speed of 110.3mph for an hour around the track.

Mr Elgood is one of the famous Brooklands “right crowd” who originally raced at the historic race track in its heyday. His granddaughter Caroline has now taken to the Mercedes-Benz World Handling Circuits on the same site, some 70 years after her Grandfather, for her own AMG driving experience.

After watching Caroline hone her skills, Mr Elgood said “Racing at Brooklands holds some of my fondest memories, and although the landscape and scenery may have changed, the spirit and heart at the centre of it has stayed exactly the same and I’m thrilled to see Caroline following in the family footsteps.”

Caroline added: “It’s been fantastic that Granddad’s been able to attend today. Brooklands holds some special memories for our family, and every generation since has been down to drive here in some form or another. The driving experience today has been a great way for me to hone my skills out on the road especially so soon after passing my test – and my Granddad’s tips have definitely come in handy.”

This year also sees Mr Elgood retiring from driving, as after 75 years of motoring he is now happy for his granddaughter to be firmly behind the wheel.

Mercedes-Benz World is the perfect venue for those who still desire driving, or who want to learn or improve their skills. For adults, over 1.5 miles of purpose built Handling Circuits, the only Wet Skid Circle open to the public in the UK and a 10 acre Off-Road Terrain course have everything to thrill and also develop valuable driving skills with the guidance of a professional driver. Whether it’s behind the wheel of an awe-inspiring Mercedes AMG high performance car or negotiating the axle twisting obstacles of the challenging Off-Road Terrain in an M or GL-Class – everyone will leave with an unforgettable experience which could change the way they drive forever.

For children tall enough to touch the pedals, there’s nowhere better to take their very first driving experience than alongside the world famous historic Brooklands race track. As long as the kids are over 4’11’’ (1.5m) tall, the qualified driving instructors will ensure they have the perfect first driving experience.

Mercedes-Benz World is open daily from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day) and admission is free.

For further information on any of the Christmas packages available or other forthcoming events at Mercedes-Benz World, telephone 0870 400 4000 or visit www.mercedes-benzworld.co.uk to set your Christmas plans in motion.