Formula One races back to Jerusalem
Start your engines! Mayor Barkat is anticipating a massive turnout for the two-day event, which will see cars racing through the streets of the capital.
Low growls of thunder rise up from the engines, the helmeted drivers sit primed for action behind the wheels of their cars, and then the flag drops – and the race cars shoot forward with a huge roar and eat up the track at dizzying speeds.
Anyone who has ever watched motor racing will long remember such a thrilling sight. And on Monday and Tuesday, you can witness the action right here, in Jerusalem.
The Formula Jerusalem event returned to the capital at noon on Monday, and the roar of Formula One engines, alongside other race cars and motorcycles, are once again reverberating off the walls of the Old City. Roads in the center of Jerusalem are closed between noon and 9 pm for the event.
At 3.30 pm, after a few warm-up laps, the first cars were to set off from HaTachana, the refurbished old train station. The procession is led by the two Porsches – the Carrera GT supercar, driven by Israeli racing driver Alon Day, and the Porsche RSR 911.
They are followed by the Ferrari 348 Challenge and the Audi 10R (the Le Mans winner and one of the only race cars in the world with a diesel engine). International stunt drivers Rafal Pasierbek and Terry Grant were also to be on hand to put on a show. At around 4:15 pm, the Caterham and Ferrari Formula One cars were to go on show, with former Ferrari driver Giancarlo Fisichella behind the wheel of the Italian car.
Later Monday, Israeli drivers Roy Nissani, Yarin Stern and Bar Baruch were to take to the track in the Formula 3 and Formula 4 cars in which they compete in Europe, and the FMX4EVER freestyle motocross team were also to perform for the crowd.
The circuit continues along Remez Street, with the first show area located adjacent to Liberty Bell Park. From there, the cars head onto King David Street, turn right into Yitzhak Kariv Street and head down Mamilla Avenue. They weren't racing, but the cars were expected to hit high speeds, reaching up to 170 km/h along King David Street. Safety regulations as laid out in the Motorsport Law are in place for the event.
The second show area is located at the entrance to the Karta parking garage. From there, the cars were to return to HaTachana. At 5 pm, the drivers were to take to the track again until the end of the event at 6:30 pm. Tuesday's show will follow the same schedule and program.
The event is free of charge to spectators along the length of the circuit; tickets for the seating areas for the shows along the route are on sale, however. The event was also to be broadcast on large screens outside the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem hotel, at Liberty Bell Park and along Mamilla Avenue.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat was hoping for a turnout of hundreds of thousands at the event. "This is a message to the whole world that Jerusalem is an open and inviting city – a city of culture and sport," Barkat said.
In addition, beginning Tuesday and through to October 17, HaTachana will be hosting an exhibition (entrance fee required) at which all the sports cars taking part in the two-day event will be on display. Special simulators at the exhibition will allow visitors to race against one another.
