The Formula 1 troupe is racing in China this weekend and having an uneven time of it so far, what with weather and track issues. On this side of the world, there’ll be an Oracle Red Bull Racing single-seater blasting through our nation’s capital this weekend, where the roads are going to be even worse than the track in China, but the atmosphere will be just as rowdy and there’s no chance of getting overtaken. Red Bull is doing one of its Showruns, ex-team driver David Coulthard piloting the RB7 (Sebastian Vettel’s 2011 F1 Championship-winning car made to look like today’s car) down Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 7th Avenues. Penn Ave runs from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, those four blocks closer to the Capitol end.
The RB7 demo is part of a four-hour event happening in two places. The Fan Fest at Union Market on 5th Street SE opens at 2 p.m. and goes until well into the evening. It will offer RB7 start-ups, a static display of the RB19, a Q&A with Red Bull F1 team members, a pit stop challenge, racing simulators, stunts by freestyle moto rider Aaron Colton, an appearance by America’s own Red Bull athlete Scott Speed, and a fashion component by Domo Wells’ new Dead Dirt workwear brand that includes a giveaway.
The “track” for live runs opens at 1:30 p.m. about two miles away, at Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues. There will be more stuff to see and do here until 4 to 6 p.m., when Coulthard starts warming up to make his runs. Red Bull suggests getting here early “as trackside access will be limited after 4 p.m.” When Coulthard’s finished at 6 p.m., visitors with some fight left in them have an hour to get back to Union Market, where musical acts Joony and IDK will perform starting at 7 p.m.
It all starts Sunday, April 20, and it’s all free. If you can’t make D.C., are are least four more Showruns scheduled in Bowie, Texas, Nashville, Chicago, and Wasilla, Alaska, before the year is out.