Aston Martin Red Bull Racing took a detour to Japan en route to the 2019 F1 season opener in Melbourne. With the Australian GP just a week away, Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly lit up Tokyo with a showrun in the home of new power unit partner Honda.
There was a special 780m track in the beautiful parkland of Jingu Gaien Gingko Avenue. Max and Pierre blasted two RB7s through the streets of Tokyo in front of 10,000 fans. That was Japan’s first showrun since 2011.
Verstappen, 21, said: “It’s the first time I’ve done a showrun in Tokyo and it was great”
“The course wasn’t that long, but it was still fantastic because there were so many fans here and we could do a few donuts too.”
Frenchman Gasly, who spent a season in Japan’s Super Formula series, added: “The passion in Japan for F1 is awesome and they really show their love for the sport, which is fantastic. It’s a privilege to share that passion.”
In terms of Melbourne, Dutchman Verstappen said: “Australia’s a great place to start the season. It’s an amazing country and everybody’s excited because nobody really knows where they are in terms of the pecking order.”
Gasly, 23, explained: “We’ve been really happy with testing and I think overall it was really positive. Honda did some great work. My first race with the team is a super exciting moment and I can’t wait to get started.”
Live and loud on the streets of Tokyo! ??? 東京で一緒に盛り上がろう！? #夢に翼を pic.twitter.com/URdNHMuzJq
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 10, 2019
