The month began with 2019 planning meetings and sim work – spending my days in the F1 simulator and working with the team.

Next, on my work ‘to do list’ was the incredible Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s an iconic event on the British motorsport calendar, and something you should always attend at least once. However, I wasn’t just attending… The Festival of Speed was to be the location of my very first Formula 1 debut. After getting my licence, and having a successful seat fit, the team give me an opportunity to drive the 1974 championship winning McLaren M23.

The M23 is one of McLaren’s most successful cars, and an absolute stunning beast too. Its super-wide tyres and Ford Cosworth DFV engine must been seen (and heard) to be believed. It also has a h-pattern gearbox too, very retro!

As you can imagine, there was plenty of anticipation and adrenalin running through my body on the morning of my debut. My father had also flown over to watch this huge moment – he was by my side during all go-kart events in the past so it felt especially cool to have him there too.

I had the call, it was my time to go up the hill. The signal was given, and I was in control of the rocket ship. Mind blowing already. It was a demo run, so all I had to do was just enjoy the car and soak up the experience. I reached the top of the hillclimb and for the first time I was speechless. It’s such a raw, old school machine. A memory I’ll never forget in my lifetime.

Back in the garage it still took a while before everything sunk in. For McLaren to give me the chance to drive such an iconic car at a well-known and attended event, I could only say thank you a thousand times.

I also want to say a special thank you to the mechanics that were around that day. They are part of McLaren’s heritage team, many of them having worked on the team’s many cars from the past. You could see the joy on their face just looking at the machine as well. The car was in perfect shape, the details they gave prior to the run were on point. A perfect day.

A few days after Goodwood it was time for the next amazing experience of July. I was asked to take part in F1’s Pirelli Hot Laps at the German Grand Prix, alongside Lando Norris.

Our job was to give VIPs passenger rides of the Hockenheim circuit – but with supercars at our disposal, these were no ordinary passenger rides!

I took the wheel of a McLaren 570S and split the duties with Lando over the four allocated days. It felt great, it was such an experience driving around a circuit like that in a car of that calibre.

Our guests left the car with a smile. But so did I, a smile from ear-to-ear as well.

The rest of my time in Germany was spent learning with the team, and beating Lando on the gaming rig, which was great fun.

After all that excitement, I’m now off on my summer holidays, before heading back to the UK for a sim-filled season.

I’m sure you’ll see me in the (real-world) soon, but for now, it’s swim shorts and tanning time for me!

Rudy.