Drivers celebrate race in Turkey and the launch of premium fashion brand AlphaTauri in Istanbul by performing donuts and a pit stop simultaneously in Europe and Asia.
Formula 1 is back in Turkey this weekend and Red Bull 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 Bosphorus Bridge, known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, is unique in many ways but mostly for being one of three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey, connecting Europe and Asia. A bridge to connect two worlds.
Istanbul is one of a few cities to be located on two continents and has largely been the gateway between far east and west for centuries.
On November 11, Albon and Gasly took their F1 cars onto the 1,560m-long suspension bridge that crosses the Bosphorus strait, becoming the first drivers in history to perform a pit stop and donuts in one city across two continents at the same moment.
“Any time you have the possibility to drive a Formula 1 car at an iconic landmark is special,” said Gasly in a statement. “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 colors around the world.”
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – NOVEMBER 09: The Red Bull Racing RB7 is driven through Sultanahmet Square during the Red Bull Istanbulls show run on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011110289 // Usage for editorial use only // 
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – NOVEMBER 11: Alexander Albon of Thailand and Red Bull Racing and Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri drive on 15 July Martyrs Bridge over the Bosphorus during the Red Bull Istanbulls show run on November 11, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images ) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011110284 // Usage for editorial use only // 
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – NOVEMBER 10: Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri and Alexander Albon of Thailand and Red Bull Racing play backgammon during the Red Bull Istanbulls show run on November 10, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images ) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011110275 // Usage for editorial use only // 
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – NOVEMBER 11: Pierre Gasly of France and Scuderia AlphaTauri performs donuts on 15 July Martyrs Bridge over the Bosphorus during the Red Bull Istanbulls show run on November 11, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images ) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011110268 // Usage for editorial use only // 
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – NOVEMBER 09: The Red Bull Racing RB7 is driven through Sultanahmet Square during the Red Bull Istanbulls show run on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images ) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202011110249 // Usage for editorial use only //
Aside from celebrating the return of racing to Turkey, AlphaTauri, the clothing brand, announced its debut in Istanbul, where the collection is now available at select Vakkorama Stores.
“Driving on the streets is challenging, but it’s fun,” said Albon in a statement. “It’s nice to enjoy driving an F1 car in places which otherwise would never be a possibility. 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 create some noise around the launch. AlphaTauri is still young but has big aspirations and this event definitely shows that.”
F1’s return race in Turkey will happen at Intercity Istanbul Park on this Sunday November 15, 2020. With a dynamic, 5.338km circuit and the famous “Diabolica” Turn 8, the racetrack is a Formula 1 classic, the most recent of which concluded with a 1-2 finish for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.