With just three weeks to go until the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts the inaugural FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2021, the Red Bull Racing Showrun is set to raise anticipation levels amongst the residents of Jeddah to the maximum with a packed schedule of awe-inspiring performances taking place on the streets and in the skies alongside the much-anticipated Showrun by the 2012 F1® title winning RB8 car.
As the beautiful port city of Jeddah enters its final stages of preparations ahead of hosting the first ever Formula 1® race in Saudi Arabi on the weekend of December 3rd – 5th at the brand-new Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the Red Bull Showrun will act as the perfect appetizer ahead of the pinnacle of motorsport’s arrival in the Kingdom.
Red Bull’s famous RB8 car will be driven by former Austrian Formula 1® driver, Patrick Friesacher, giving the thousands expected to turn out on the Jeddah Corniche (Waterfront) this Friday, November 12th a chance to witness the same car that helped Sebastian Vettel and his erstwhile teammate Mark Webber to 7 wins, 14 podium places, 9 pole positions, and a total of 460 points in Red Bull – and Vettel’s – victorious 2012 F1® season. Moreover, racing enthusiasts will also get enjoy the unmistakable roar of the RB8’s 2.4-litre, 750 horsepower Renault V8 engine powering down the Jeddah waterfront.
The Showrun – being held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation – will begin at 3:30 pm on Friday, November 12th and will not be limited to the famous RB8 car’s live performances, but also include an acrobatic parachute landing by the world champions in this category, as well as riveting motorcycle stunts and other thrilling surprises.
Dario Franchitti to drive the 1979 Williams FW07/1
A special demonstration by the famous Saudi-sponsored & 1979 Dutch Grand Prix winning Williams FW07/01, driven by none other than four-time IndyCar Series World Champion, Dario Franchitti, will be another incredible moment to light up the Showrun schedule.
The FW07/01 was famously backed by several Saudi investors – prominently displayed on the livery – and was the first iteration of what came to be considered the greatest car of Formula 1’s ground-effect era. Raced 8 times during 1979 in the hands of Alan Jones & Clay Regazzoni – with Jones claiming victory at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort that year – the FW07/01 holds a special place in the hearts of all Saudi Motorsports fans, especially as its successor the FW07B went on to win the F1 Constructor’s World Championship and Driver Championship for Alan Jones.
It is now owned by Dallah Albaraka, fully restored by Williams and will be on full display to the people of Jeddah when Franchitti, – who also boasts three Indianapolis 500 victories alongside a 24 Hours of Daytona title – races it along the Jeddah Corniche tomorrow.
A legendary parachute landing
While all eyes will be on the Waterfront in anticipation of the RB8’s high-speed demonstration, Red Bull athletes Horacio Llorens and Rafael Goberna will also have an aerial surprise in store for audiences: an electrifying acrobatic parachute landing.
Madrid native Llorens is a legend in the world of aerial sports, a five-time world champion and a Guinness World Record holder in the acrobatic parachute category. One of the pioneers of acrobatic paragliding, Llorens, 38, began his career in aviation at the age of 14, after seeing his cousins flying at his uncle’s paragliding school in Albacete, a key hub for the aviation sector in Spain.
Llorens will be accompanied by Rafael Goberna a specialist in acrobatic paragliding. Rafael became the youngest pilot from Brazil and one of the youngest in the world – he was only 12 years old, and it won him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.
A Two-wheeled Showdown!
After the parachute landing, the focus will shift back down to earth and to the more familiar roar of the engines. However, this will not be limited to that of the RB8, as Red Bull professional riders Mike Jensen and Shadi Al Dhaheri will also be present to showcase some incredible acrobatic skills on their motorcycles.
Jensen, 28, began his motor acrobatics career in 2010 and swiftly collected an impressive array of titles in the MotoGP Acrobatics Championships. Thought to be one of the youngest athletes to have ever tackled a two-wheel stunt, Jensen stood out because of his ability to perform highly innovative and technically advanced maneuvers of his own creation.
Meanwhile, famed Saudi cyclist Shadi Al Dhaheri, 41, is one of the most prominent athletes in this category in the Middle East who will be eager to showcase his skills in his homeland and in front of his adoring fans. Al Dhaheri’s love of motorcycling began in 2005. From then on, he developed his talent and honed his skills, and in 2007 he became the first professional show rider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On Friday afternoon, he will rev up his engine and thrill the thousands of spectators down by the Jeddah coastline with a special round of extraordinary motorcycle stunt performances.
All in all, the city is in for a spectacular day of all action, high-adrenaline entertainment that is sure to get them in the right mood ahead of the debut F1® race weekend in just a few weeks’ time.
