Red Bull (Un)Serious Race Series: Round 2
Formula 1 is undoubtedly the birthplace of some of the world’s premier closed-circuit racers. However, would these pilots be just as apt when maneuvering an enormous truck under the challenge of a rugged trail and unprecedented challenges?
Max Verstappen (driving for Oracle Red Bull Racing) and Yuki Tsunoda (of the Scuderia AlphaTauri team) paid a visit to the Erzberg Mine in Austria recently, ahead of the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix. This outing is part two of Red Bull’s (Un)Serious Race Series. In the previous round, Tsunoda managed to beat Daniel Ricciardo in a jet-boat race held in Miami. (For further details, you can watch the episode at the bottom of this page).
These behemoth trucks are the antithesis of what these guys are customarily accustomed to. Verstappen’s renowned RB19 is an incredible accomplishment of engineering. A monster truck may not be as competent, however it is fairly proficient when it comes to being hefty and destroying things. To bring into focus the discrepancy, each tire weighs approximately 1,543 pounds, close to 200 lbs less than a complete F1 vehicle.
The circuit comprised of a beginning launchpad that had ditched automobiles to hurdle, an artificial wading pool amalgamation (which seems oddly familiar), a great drift, and the ultimate rough swerve.
Verstappen clocked a prominent qualifying session with a 0:55.07, whereas Tsunoda trailed behind with a 0:58.37 lap time, thus the RBR driver began at the head of the two-person grid.
Tsunoda emerged triumphant after a technical problem for Verstappen’s car. Both cars are powered by the same 5.7-litre Chevy Big Block engine, producing 500 horsepower. jocularly suggesting he had put water in his opponent’s motor, which created the intermittent start.
“Max had misfires,” said Tsunoda, “perhaps that was because I provided his engine with a drop of water.”
This weekend the two racers will go head to head on familiar ground at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Verstappen is topping the leader board with a total of 195 points, trailed closely by his teammate; Sergio Perez has accumulated 126 points thus far. As for Yuki, this season hasn’t been kind and he has only managed to score two points.
It is unknown as of yet when the future staging of the (Un)Serious Race will come to be, however, racing buffs can look forward to seeing Tsunoda go around the curves of the Nurburgring in September. At the legendary track, the Honda NSX GT3 Evo will become his ride whilst Sebastian Vettel and Danny Ric will have the privilege of piloting Formula 1 racers.
