JEDDAH, 1 January 2004 — Catching the attention of passing motorists is the first Formula 1 Race Car, which is displayed at Tahlia Road here.
Many young race enthusiasts have been photographing themselves against the background of the car. They were also seen trying the latest Virtual game of Formula 1 on Sony’s Play Station.
“This is one of the three F-1 Race cars that will be participating in the Formula One 1st International Race in Bahrain in April,” Bassem El Zein, communication manager of the Red Bull Communication Center, told Arab News at the show venue.
“Participants of this event will include Team Sauber Petronas, which is sponsored by Red Bull,” he said, adding that the Austrian energy drink is presenting its Super F-1 car for the first time to the Saudi public at several locations across the Kingdom.”
The car arrived in the city on Tuesday and will continue to be exhibited at the venue up to Sunday. It will next be in Riyadh from Jan. 7 to 16, and finally in Alkhobar from Jan. 18 to 30.
“Saudis are highly interested in car racing, especially the Formula 1, so we welcome this opportunity to see the car since a majority of us don’t get a chance to attend or watch closely such races,” Khaled Mallouh, a student of King Abdul Aziz University, said.
“I’m sure the presence of this car in the Kingdom will generate a lot of interest among Saudi youths in this sport,” another KAAU student, Abdul Rahman El-Khereiji, said.
Pictures of Heinz-Harald Frentzen of the F-1 Team Sauber Petronas are also being handed to visitors, with his track record. Frentzen, who became the German Junior Champion and held other titles from 1980-85, has participated in many championships over the years, including the F3000 in Japan in which his Team Nova achieved first place.
