July 31, 2007
By Emily Visser
HEARING a Formula One car driving at almost full speed around a Joburg suburb thrilled the tens of thousands of people – an estimated 60 000 fans were at the show – who attended the ING Renault F1 Roadshow in Sandton over the weekend.
For many, this is the most beautiful sound in the world – the screechy, high-pitched whine of a Formula One V8 engine. A sound unique to the sport, it is treasured by small and big boys, and many girls, around the world.
It was the first time that Sandton hosted a Formula One event of this nature. And if it is up to the City of Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Tourism Company, it will not be the last time. Johannesburg is hoping to bring back F1 to the city for good; Eddie Khosa, the chief executive of Joburg Tourism, says his organisation is working towards this "in a big way".
"We [Johannesburg] are going to bid for it."
Working on behalf of the City, the Johannesburg Tourism Company facilitated the full infrastructure for the ING Renault F1 Roadshow, which took place over three days from 26 to 29 July in central Sandton.
The event not only promoted tourism to the city, it also created jobs, said Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, the member of the mayoral committee for community development, at a press conference before the main event. "Our City [dreams about staging] another F1 Grand Prix. We want to show the world we can put on world class events."
Mayoral committee member for community development, Nandi Mayatula-Khoza, and Joburg Tourism's chief executive, Eddy Khosa, receive a replica of the F1 Renault RS26
Mayathula-Khoza said the success of the roadshow would again prove Johannesburg's status as a prime tourist and business destination in South Africa, and as a "world-class African city".
The main attraction
Spectators waited patiently for the main attraction - a rather small, flat, orange, blue and white F1 car, the ING Renault RS26, that was quietly waiting its turn. Fully kitted out with driver and camera aboard, the car weighs just more than 600 kilograms and stands at just 95 centimetres in its fat rubber tackies.
Standing still it looks diminutive and rather subdued, but it fooled nobody on the day - this little guy has a good set of "lungs" and can reach speeds of over 250 kilometres an hour in less than nine seconds.
Hundreds of street performers kick-started the day's entertainment; gumboot dancers, rugby girls, drum majorettes and military bands set the scene for the main event, the ING Renault Formula One street race with Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault's number one driver, and Nelson Piquet Junior, the official test driver and a former British Formula 3 champion, behind the wheels.
Extreme
Once the racing started, the usual business-like feel of Sandton was transformed into a doughnut-devil paradise. Thousands of petrol-heads craned their necks to see and hear the undiluted sight and sounds of Formula One racing and extreme driving at its best.
Daredevil Terry Grant whetted spectator's appetites with his fantastic driving skills. He climbed out of his car and walked off to wave and bow to the cheering crowd, all while his car continued driving in circles. Finally climbing back into the still-moving vehicle and driving off, Grant left behind his number one trademark – several tyre-doughnuts and a fat, white cloud of burnt rubber.
Thick pockets of people lined the circuit. Ferrari fans dressed in red jostled side-by-side with black-and-white McLaren fans and bright-yellow-and-blue Renault supporters for a close-up view. The last Formula One event in Joburg was in 1993, when Alain "the Professor" Prost won the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
In 2001 Formula One vehicle testing took place in Jozi and in 2005 the city hosted the Altech Grand Prix Masters Race, in which 13 of the world's top retired racing drivers competed.
Meeting the Renault team: Joburg Tourism's chief executive, Eddy Khosa, and the executive director for community development, Pilisiwe Twala-Tau get a closer view of an F1 car
Lewellyn Naidoo came along with his seven-year-old son, Himeshan, himself an avid F1 fan. "It is an exciting event," he exclaimed, his son seated on his shoulders, clasping his hands over ears to soften some of the deafening noise.
Naidoo was certain that Johannesburg had what it took to stage a world class F1 event. "I am sure they can pull it off. Big business is here, all the best hotels are here."
Fisichella's moment
And then, a wave of excitement surged through the crowd as Fisichella came screaming down the hill, driving the Renault engine at almost 20 000 revolutions a minute. In a flash it went past, and spontaneous clapping broke out.
"Wow," could be heard from many lips as spectators exclaimed excitedly. "This is the most beautiful sound in the world," said a big guy in the crowd - his face bore the look of a father hearing the sound of his first-born. Youngsters smiled and cheered, giving group hugs and taking pictures of each other. Many had the shiny glint of too much adrenalin in their eyes.
If it wasn't for the smell of chips and hot dogs, or the familiar Sandton skyline, one could almost imagine it to be Monaco.
Mal Leserwane, another F1 fan, exclaimed, "It's fantastic," although he was sorry he could not see more through the throng of people. The massive overhead television screens placed at strategic points showed all of the action, but Leserwane felt there should have been more grandstands.
Fisichella was also excited - about the possibility of competing in South Africa. "It would be nice to race here; there is a lot of passion," he said at a media briefing.
Asked if he was ever afraid for his life, he said he loved the sport and never felt afraid. "If you become afraid, it is time to stop."
ING Renault F1 Roadshow
The ING Renault F1 Roadshow, launched in 2003, has been seen by 1,5 million people in major cities in Europe, Russia and Japan. The managing director of Renault South Africa, Jean-Jacques le Goff, said the next roadshow would take place in Dubai in about a month.
"We are trying to take F1 to places where racing does not take place."
The team had just completed a roadshow in Warsaw, Poland, that was attended by over 80 000 people. The philosophy behind the Renault roadshow is to bring Formula One to people who have never experienced it personally – getting close to the drivers, the cars and the technical team.
In the words of Flavio Briatore, the ING Renault F1 Team managing director, "the essence of the roadshow is running our F1 cars for the public, on city streets. The Renault roadshow is a showcase of what modern Formula One is all about, a fabulous show, and an unforgettable experience."
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