Step inside the F1 Racing Circuit at Sandton
The Vodafone McLaren MP4-23. The chariot Lewis Hamilton rode to championship glory in 2008. Its engine: the Mercedes-Benz FO 108V 2.4 litre V8, naturally-aspirated, 19,000 RPM limited, mid-mounted engine. Its body: considered by many to epitomise the peak of aerodynamic development. But those are just the facts. Any true F1 fan worth their salt knows that.
More importantly, it’s an object of singular beauty. A perfect, gleaming example of form following function. Every aerodynamically crafted curve shaped as if by the wind itself. The very spirit of breathless speed, imparted into mechanical form.
Now, how would you like the opportunity to see a replica this beast up close and personal, looking exactly as it did when it crossed the finish line with Hamilton in first place in 2008? Better yet, how would like to have your photo taken with this iconic racing machine?
If you answered “More than life itself,” or even “Well I‘m curious, tell me more,” to any of the questions above, you need to get yourself to Sandton City Shopping Mall between the 13th and 19th of July, where a replica of Hamilton’s championship vehicle will be on display for all to see, and gape at in wide-eyed awe.
Once your eyes adjust to the glare coming off the shiny black and silver paintwork, you might notice a familiar silhouette of a stiff-legged, top-hatted figure striding confidently across the wing. Why, it’s our old friend, Johnnie Walker!
“How strange,” you might remark, “that an alcohol company (even an obviously distinguished brand like Johnnie Walker) should sponsor a motor racing company. I thought those fellows needed to be stone cold sober in order to navigate hairpin turns at speeds approaching the sound barrier.”
And you’d be exactly right. This is precisely the message behind Johnnie Walker’s “Never Drink and Drive” campaign; an emphasis on control.
“Control is one of the most critical capabilities needed by racing drivers to succeed,” says Vimal Vaghmaria, brand manager of Johnnie Walker.
Which is why Johnnie Walker is giving consumers attending the exhibition a chance to win a free Mercedes-Benz Dynamic Driving Course.
The course is a full one-day programme, aimed at honing driving skills, enabling quicker reaction times, and preventing accidents, and is valued at R3135, 00.
But really, isn’t it just a great opportunity to put yourself in your favourite racing driver’s patent leather boots, and spend a day learning how to pull off insane manoeuvres; like hydroplaning across a skidpan, or drifting around the corners of a custom track in a Mercedes C63 AMG?
“These driving courses are just another way in which we can communicate a positive and responsible attitude to driving and get consumers to think and act responsibly when getting behind the wheel of a car.” says Vimal.
You must be over 21 and have a valid driver’s license to enter the competition and entry forms will only be available at the Sandton exhibition.
So get down to Sandton City between Tuesday the 13th and Monday the 19th for a glimpse of motor engineering at its finest, and the chance to win that amazing M-Benz Dynamic Driving course.
Jed Coventry
Photo Credit: Join the Pact