SA to get a taste of Formula 1 in 2019

While South Africa is no closer to hosting a round of the Formula One Grand Prix, local fans will at least be able to see an F1 car in action when Red Bull brings its road show to Cape Town in June.

Similar to a demonstration it staged at Cape Town’s Killarney circuit in 2011, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, which won four back-to-back F1 titles between 2010 and 2013, will bring speed, sound - and maybe a couple of doughnuts - to the mother city on June 2.

This time, however, fans will be able to see the F1 car speeding through city streets at the city’s iconic Grand Parade, starting in front of the City Hall. The car, which accelerates from 0-100km/h in 2.4 seconds, can reach speeds well over 250km/h.

The international star driver for the Red Bull Cape Town Circuit display will be revealed in the next few months in the lead-up to the event. He’ll be joined by a host of yet-to-be-named South African motorsport stars.

The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing crew have taken their road show to a number of locations around the world including Ho Chi Minh City, Marseille, Belfast and Miami.

The day will be packed with family-friendly events and entrance will be free. 

“Sure, you’ve watched a Grand Prix on TV, but there’s no substitute for the ear-splitting roar of the engine, the haze of tyre smoke and aroma of burning rubber,” says a spokesperson for the event.

More details about the Red Bull Cape Town Circuit will be released soon. In the meantime, fans can go here for more details.