F1 made it big… in Hollywood!
What do you get when you combine Formula 1 with the magic of Hollywood? Together with thousands of auto enthusiasts, tire screeches and donuts in dream cars, you get the first F1 Fan Festival in Los Angeles! Less than a week before the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, F1 fans on the West Coast were treated to a festival of stunts, celebrities, and a one-of-a-kind experience that shut down Hollywood Boulevard for two straight days.
As Pirelli and F1 banners lined the iconic boulevard, the festivities began. Tuesday saw the official kick-off with the Hollywood Ride of Fame. Cars streamed down the street back-to-back, displaying a rare collection of road and race cars. Accompanying the historic vehicles were lively music and impressive showmanship from parachuters, stunt bikers and much more. If you looked around, you may have even spotted a few stars among the crowd of passionate petrol-heads.
Not to be outdone by their historic counterparts, grand prix winning drivers Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen paid a visit on their way down to Texas. Joined by their teams - Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Renault F1 Team - they brought the feeling of live F1 racing to the streets of LA. To the excitement of onlookers, they didn't take it easy, with live runs and plenty of donut burnouts in front of the Hard Rock Cafe.
Amid it all, P Zero World had a special visitor. Alex Albon, the UK-native dynamo driver for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, stopped by the flagship Los Angeles location for a pit stop. Even off the track he couldn't resist getting behind the wheel of a racing simulator, and he spent much-needed quality time with his favorite tires. Before he left to join his fellow F1 stars on Hollywood Boulevard, he made sure to leave his signature on display.
Formula 1 continues to grow in the United States, as evidenced by larger crowds and greater enthusiasm from American motorsports fans. Pirelli and F1 strive to bring the sport to wider audiences, and the Hollywood Fan Festival brought us all one step further in expanding an already avid fanbase.
Moving forward into the end of the 2019 season and into 2020, this fan festival begs the question: What better way to build up the impending drama and excitement of a Grand Prix than to bring together the theatrics of Hollywood and the adrenaline of F1?
