What were the four Formula 1 drivers from Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri doing ahead of the Formula 1 BWT Großer Preis der Steiermark 2021 with two typical Austrian Pinzgauer off-road vehicles? They were on a scavenger hunt through the Styria region to the Red Bull Ring no less, where the lights are to go out to start the second set of back-to-back Grands Prix at Spielberg this weekend. Fans can see on Red Bull TV the kind of challenges Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda had to overcome – and whether there was a winner in the Formula Scavenger Hunt.
Anyone who wants tickets for the Styrian Grand Prix from 25 to 27 June should buy them online as soon as possible!
Two times six wheels and four F1 drivers
Take a Dutchman, a Mexican, a Frenchman, a Japanese driver and two of the most extraordinary six-wheel off-road vehicles in the world. Then put the F1 drivers, who normally battle for world championship points at speeds of over 300 km/h on the world‘s Grand Prix circuits, into the Styrian countryside. Voila – it has to be the perfect way to prepare for the back-to-back Grands Prix on the Red Bull Ring’s racing circuit.
From Hangar-7 via the Grundlsee to Spielberg
The Formula Scavenger Hunt began for Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda at Hangar-7 in Salzburg. The journey took the drivers with a Cessna 208 Caravan seaplane to what many call the ‘Styrian Sea‘, the Grundlsee lake around 80 kilometres away. The drivers were given a pre-race briefing by Red Bull Motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko and presenter Tanja Bauer. In fitting style with Lederhosen, they contested their first race on two flat boats typical for the region, in order to get the key to their Pinzgauer in the colours of their race team. Pinzgauer, originally made in Graz, are extreme off-road vehicles that can cope with very challenging terrain and steep climbs. On their route through the forests of Styria to the Red Bull Ring, Max Verstappen & Co pushed the off-road power of the Austrian machines to the limit.
After arriving in Austria‘s Formula 1 epicentre of Spielberg following numerous challenging tasks, the drivers pitted themselves against one another again in an exciting sprint finish at the Red Bull Ring.
Views from the F1 drivers
Sergio Pérez (MEX / Red Bull Racing): “The scavenger hunt was challenging, and we took it totally seriously [laughs]. It‘s definitely the best preparations from Red Bull for a race weekend so far.”
Max Verstappen (NED / Red Bull Racing): “It‘s always nice to race in Austria. It‘s perfect that there are two Grands Prix at the Red Bull Ring again this year. It’s our home race and we have already won twice here. I am really looking forward to two great weekends.”
