JEDDAH: With just three weeks to go until the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts its first Formula One Grand Prix, the Red Bull Racing Honda team put on an impressive show for thousands of spectators on the Jeddah Corniche yesterday.
The Red Bull Showrun gave the people of Jeddah a chance to see Formula One cars up close in a “festival” atmosphere.
The Red Bull’s RB8 car was driven by former Austrian Formula One driver Patrick Friesacher, who entertained the locals on Jeddah’s waterfront.
A special appearance by the Saudi-sponsored & 1979 Dutch Grand Prix winning Williams FW07/01, driven by four-time IndyCar Series World Champion, Dario Franchitti, was another incredible moment.
The FW07/01 was backed by several Saudi investors — prominently displayed on the livery — and was the first iteration of what was arguably the greatest car of Formula One’s ground-effect era.
Now owned by Dallah Albaraka and fully restored by Williams, it was on display to the people of Jeddah as Franchitti — who also boasts three Indianapolis 500 victories and a 24 Hours of Daytona title – raced it along the crowded Jeddah Corniche.
The Showrun, which was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, also included an acrobatic parachute and motorcycle stunts.