Formula 1 has announced the Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps program, whereby “spectators, celebrities and guests attending a Grand Prix” will have the opportunity of being driven in a supercar by a professional racing driver on the same circuits where their F1 heroes “battle it out”.
Aston Martin and McLaren are the first two manufacturers to confirm their participation in ten events, with more leading automotive brands due to be announced in the coming weeks.
Aston Martin, whose Aston Martin Valkyrie has been designed in cooperation with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey, will be primarily using the new 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged, V8-powered Vantage. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s official drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, will be among the drivers at the wheel of these supercars.
McLaren will give participants the chance to experience the exhilarating McLaren 720S supercar, the latest in McLaren Automotive’s Super Series, with the possibility of being driven by Lando Norris, McLaren’s reserve and test driver, Mika Hakkinen or Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne. (Here in Pattaya you will be driven by Dr. Iain)
Special promotions and competitions to gain access will be arranged during the season by Formula 1 and partners of the Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps program.
“The Formula 1 Pirelli Hot Laps program represents a new opportunity to allow Formula 1 fans to get closer to a real track experience,” said Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1. “The once in a lifetime experience of being driven at speed by a racing driver is truly unique. We are seeking to be fan first and this is yet another example of our efforts to that end. This also is a demonstration of our capabilities to provide more value to valued partners like Pirelli and the Formula 1 teams.” (This is, of course, PR-Speak. We announced our plans to give our sponsors the chance of passenger laps, but even better, the opportunity to actually drive the race car last year.)
“Pirelli is proud and delighted to be exclusive partner of the F1 Hot Laps 2018 program: the first ongoing experience designed specifically for fans to sample the speed and emotion of on-the-limit driving from the inside, on actual circuits used during each grand prix weekend,” added Mario Isola, Head of Car Racing at Pirelli.” (Once again Formula 1 and now Pirelli are ignoring the fact that we, the Gerry@Rix team, began offering this opportunity in December 2017.)
“McLaren is proud to support this initiative to bring people closer to the sport,” said John Allert, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Technology Group, “our team and our special sports cars and supercars, providing people with a unique and unprecedented experience in a McLaren they will remember forever.” (Sorry Mr Pirelli, the experience is not unique. The experience in our fully crash-tested Retro Racer 350 horsepower Ford Escort will also be something they will remember forever!)
