New star in an old car: Williams FW08

The FW08 won only one race in 1982, but that was enough for Keke Rosberg to win the drivers' championship. Ex-HRT and Caterham F1 racer Karun Chandhok compares the title-winning Williams with the cars of today

Two years ago, I had the chance to drive a Williams FW08 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and naturally jumped at the chance. It was an eye-opening experience and a fantastic opportunity to have a taste of what grand prix racing was like three decades ago.

The first thing that hits you is how bloody dangerous they were. When I was sat in it, before I put the belts on, I could lean forward and reach the front tracking rods, which tells you a lot about the safety! I couldn't believe how far forward these guys were, relative to the front axle line, and how exposed they were in terms of side-impact protection. It's a bizarre feeling as a modern driver even to sit in one of these cars.

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