Last Saturday, Sebastian Vettel experienced a special day behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car during an impressive demo on the iconic Nordschleife. With more than sixty thousand spectators present at the Red Bull Formula Nürburgring, as the official name of this demo day is, the four-time world champion treated the crowd to a great show with the Red Bull RB7, with which he won his second title in a row in 2011. .
For Vettel, this experience felt like a journey back in time. ‘It felt like I was in a time capsule. When I got into the car, a lot of memories came back,” Vettel enthusiastically shared with Motorsport.com. Not only did Vettel enjoy the demo, but it was also an important moment from a sustainability perspective. “It was a lot of fun to drive around the track and do it in a way that I’m happy with. “Somehow everything came together, including the fact that we were now running the car on climate-neutral fuel,” the German noted.
Vettel emphasized the importance of sustainability in motorsport and the role of synthetic fuels: ‘Motorsport is my great passion and I want to keep the sport alive. Fuels can be produced synthetically and serve as a substitute fuel. It is important that we all become aware that we have to do something. And the best part is: you don’t feel any difference in the car, it’s just as much fun driving on synthetic fuel.’
More famous names present
In addition to Vettel, former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard was also present at the Nordschleife. He piloted the 2012 Red Bull RB8 around the legendary circuit, replacing Daniel Ricciardo due to an injury to his hand. Not only more recent Formula 1 cars were on display, but also cars from a more distant past, driven by famous names such as Ralf Schumacher, Gerhard Berger and Mathias Lauda. In addition, there were spectacular demonstrations of other special vehicles, such as the Ford SuperVan 4.2, powered by electric motors with a combined power of more than 1,400 hp.
Yuki Tsunoda was also present and impressed behind the wheel of the Honda NSX GT3 Evo, praising the challenging Nordschleife as one of a kind. ‘I can’t compare this circuit with anything else. It goes through the mountains, up and down. There are a lot of tight spots and when you get to the grass, the wall is close. I had driven this track in the simulator before, but would really like to drive a competitive race there. That would be an unforgettable experience,” says the Japanese.
