Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Bridge becomes pit lane as Gasly and Albon stage F1 show in 2 continents
Drivers celebrate race in Turkey and the launch of premium fashion brand AlphaTauri in Istanbul by performing doughnuts and a pit stop simultaneously in Europe and Asia.
F1 drivers Pierre Gasly of Scuderia AlphaTauri and Alex Albon of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing took to the streets of transcontinental city Istanbul, Turkey with a driving display through the town and on the 15 July Martyrs Bridge. The occasion celebrated the long-awaited return of F1 to the country with Sunday’s Formula 1 DHL Turkish Grand Prix, as well as the debut of premium fashion brand AlphaTauri.
Straddling the Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe and Asia, Istanbul is one of few cities to be located on two continents and has played a prominent role on the route between east and west for centuries. Albon and Gasly took two F1 cars onto the 1,560m-long suspension bridge that crosses the strait, becoming the first drivers in history to perform a pit stop and doughnuts in one city across two continents at the same moment.
Alex Albon races past Sultan Ahmed Mosque
© Nuri Yilmazer / Red Bull Content Pool
Pierre Gasly enjoys the scenic route
© Nuri Yilmazer / Red Bull Content Pool
Alex Albon
© Nuri Yilmazer / Red Bull Content Pool
Pierre Gasly takes it to the streets
© Nuri Yilmazer / Red Bull Content Pool
This weekend will be the first time that AlphaTauri and its Scuderia AlphaTauri racing team appear in Turkey. In their six Turkish Grand Prix entries to date (2006-2011), the team now named after Red Bull’s premium fashion brand raced under former name Scuderia Toro Rosso.
With the return of the fan-favorite Grand Prix, AlphaTauri has just announced its debut in Istanbul, where the collection is now available at select Vakkorama Stores.
With this entry into the Turkish market, AlphaTauri’s collection is now available in almost 90 countries around the world. Ahmet Mercan, General Manager, AlphaTauri, said: “Driving our global business and launching AlphaTauri in Turkey, even in such challenging times for the entire global fashion industry, sets a very positive momentum.”
Scuderia AlphaTauri is looking to build on a strong 2020 season, highlighted by a race victory for Gasly at Monza in September. It was the first F1 win for the Frenchman and the first for his team in AlphaTauri colors, and a memorable moment for the premium fashion brand in their initial foray into the sport.
Asia one direction, Europe the other.
© Nuri Yilmazer/Red Bull Content Pool
After his experience on the streets of Istanbul, Gasly said: “Any time you have the possibility to drive a Formula 1 car at an iconic landmark is special. It was incredible to drive on the Bosphorus Bridge, thinking that in a blink of an eye you cross the border of two continents – just amazing! We celebrate the return of F1 in Turkey, and it’s great to know it coincides with the introduction of the AlphaTauri team and fashion label. I personally like the AlphaTauri clothing a lot, and it’s a privilege to be carrying its colours around the world.”
For Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, the race in Turkey marks a key anniversary for the team as its 300th Grand Prix. And Albon is hoping to build upon a recent breakthrough, when his third place at the Tuscan Grand Prix made him the first Thai driver to stand on an F1 podium. The team hope to follow up on the one win and five podium finishes previously achieved in Turkey.
Another day in the office
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Albon said: “The view from the Bosphorus Bridge is amazing and to see it all from the cockpit of an F1 car was pretty mega. I think it was the best possible way to create some noise around the launch. AlphaTauri is still young but has big aspirations and this event definitely shows that.”
Check back on November 25 for more expansive content of Albon and Gasly’s Istanbul adventure.
