Crossing Continents In StyleAlex and Scuderia AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly bring Formula One back to Istanbul, Turkey in style with a trans-continental trip across the Bosphorus Bridge.
They say good things come in threes and this weekend is definitely proof positive of that old adage. We’re heading back to (and its epic, notorious turn eight) for the first time in nine years. We’re heading towards our 300th race in F1. And to complete the trio, the cutting edge, premium fashion brand AlphaTauri is being launched in Turkey.
That sort of magical cosmic alignment definitely deserved some kind of celebration and what better way to get the party started than with a flat out blast through streets of historic Istanbul culminating in a trans-continental meeting of tracing minds on the Bosphorus Bridge that joins Europe with Asia.
So, ahead of the first , when we recorded a 1-2 finish, AlphaTauri ambassador joined forces with fellow F1 racer and ambassador behind the wheel of a pair Red Bull Racing RB7s, liveried in their respective team colours, as the Bulls crammed a three-day sightseeing tour into a single day.
With the challenge accepted, the pair first went for a flat-out run past the Galata Bridge and along the coast of the Golden Horn, before screaming through the streets of Istanbul’s old town, Sultanahmet, and around the beautiful Blue Mosque.
Hitting the major tourist spots wasn’t enough for Alex and Pierre, though, and the next part of their tour saw the boys floor the accelerator as they powered out of the city to the picturesque Arnavutköy district, where they cruised past the rainbow-hued wooden houses and mansions on the banks of the Black Sea.
Heading back to the city, the F1 drivers then split up, with Alex thundering through the Euroasia tunnel to the Asian side of Istanbul as Pierre headed north towards the European side of the Bosphorus Bridge.
And timing their runs to perfection, the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers eventually took to the empty bridge simultaneously, before meeting midway between the two continents for a series of rubber-burning, smoke-wreathed donuts.
There was still one part of the challenge left to complete, however. A furious, full speed back to Istanbul’s Zorlu Centre where the boys were the star guests at the Turkish launch of AlphaTauri.
“Formula One returning to Istanbul is pretty cool for the sport, and today’s tour of the city was a great introduction to Turkey for me as I’ve never been here before,” said Alex at the end of the day’s adventure. “Driving on the streets is challenging but fun and it’s great to be able to drive an F1 car in places which otherwise would never be possible.
“The view from the Bosphorus Bridge is amazing and to see it all from the cockpit of an F1 car was pretty mega, but I think the best bit was driving between the two continents. I think it was the best possible way to bring AlphaTauri to Turkey and create some noise around the launch. AlphaTauri is still young but has big aspirations and this event definitely shows that,” concluded Alex.
The Thai driver then looked forward to the race weekend – and helping the Team to its 300th race. “Istanbul Park is one of those circuits that made a big impression when I was watching Formula One as a kid, particularly turn eight, which is one of F1’s most iconic corners” said Alex. “It looks really impressive and I’m looking forward to racing there for the Team’s 300th race. It’s a pretty big milestone and I hope that we can mark it with a great race on Sunday.”
Following today’s event, premium fashion brand AlphaTauri has 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.”
Sights You Love To See© Nuri Yilmazer / Red Bull Content Pool