SINGAPORE – Formula One fans here need not wait till the Oct 9-11 Singapore Grand Prix to witness an F1 car live in action, with one slated to run down a stretch of Orchard Road at the end of August.
Mercedes reserve driver Fred Vesti will take the team’s F1 car down a 600m stretch – from Paragon to Tangs at Tang Plaza – on Aug 30 as part of a two-day adidas event, the sportswear brand announced on Aug 13.
Vesti, 24, will perform three race car demos at 3pm, 3.30pm and 3.45pm, each lasting about five or 10 minutes.
He will also take adidas global partner and K-pop girl group Babymonster on a series of hot laps for 10 minutes in another Mercedes-AMG car.
Entry to the event is free, but selected fans can access adidas’ VIP viewing decks by fulfilling certain spending criteria at adidas or its participating partners from Aug 14 to 25.
Vesti, a Dane who became a Mercedes junior driver in 2021 and has raced in the F2 and F3 championships, said: “Demonstration runs are all about bringing fans closer to the sport and giving them a taste of the speed, sound and excitement that make F1 unique.
“Our sport is at its best when it connects with people, and this event does that in a really exciting way.
“I’m excited to put on a show in the car, but the whole weekend is going to be special. It’s a chance to create a memorable experience for fans and introduce new audiences to our sport.”
This will be the first live demo here since former F1 driver David Coulthard revved down Orchard Road, from ION Orchard to Mandarin Gallery, in Red Bull Racing’s show car in 2011.
To facilitate the race car demos and hot laps, a section of Orchard Road – between Scotts Road and Bideford Road – will be closed from 10am to 8.30pm on Aug 30, said adidas in its Aug 13 release.
Motorists should follow the direction of road signs and police officers on site. Timings are subject to change, said adidas, and updates will be available on the brand’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
The Aug 30 event is part of a two-day adidas Orchard Ignition event, which is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board.
It begins on Aug 29 with a public pop-up display of the Mercedes F1 team’s garage outside adidas Brand Centre Orchard.
Selected fans will get a sneak peek of what goes on behind the scenes during race weekends in an immersive guided garage tour, to be held in 15-minute time slots between 10am and 8.45pm.
After the live race car demos and hot laps on Aug 30, the public can enjoy live music at a fan festival on the rooftop amphitheatre of Design Orchard from 6.35pm, with performances by local singers Benjamin Kheng, Iman Fandi and DJ Kiara.
Babymonster fans – or Monstiez – also can stand a chance to attend a 35-minute fan engagement with their idols, which starts at 6pm. They can do so by fulfilling certain spending criteria at adidas or its participating partners between Aug 14 and 25.
More information on how to win tickets to the Babymonster fan engagement and VIP viewing decks for the live demos can be found on the adidas website and Instagram and Facebook pages.
Thibault Durand, senior vice-president and general manager for adidas South East Asia, said: “Singapore is one of the most iconic destinations on the Formula One calendar, and there is no better stage than Orchard Road for an experience of this scale.
“We are proud to bring this unique collaboration to life in the heart of the city.”