Ask anyone in motorsport and they will tell you that an F1 car and snow will not end well. The only race cars that can actually handle it are rally cars, but the Red Bull team had other ideas. They fitted special tyres and had Max Verstappen try and run it down a mountain slope. Sadly, it was a bust as the tyres failed to provide any traction. So Red Bull had to concoct a new plan.
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Apparently, spikes on the tyre were not going to cut it so they attached snow chains to the wheels. This time it was a success as the Dutchman was able to get a good run in and showcase the car.
The location was the famous Kitzbuhel ski slopes in Austria, Red Bull’s home turf. A crowd of 3500 gathered in the Austrian Alps as Verstappen, F1’s teenage sensation, slipped and slid in a F1 car fitted with snow chains, some 1600m above sea level.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull were helping drum up support for the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix. However, the team landed themselves in hot water as local authorities reportedly did not see the bright side of the F1 snow stunt.
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Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper reports that administrative proceedings have been filed against Red Bull, as official approval for the event was not granted.
Kitzbuhel director Michael Berger confirmed the news, saying approval must be given for the driving of any vehicle outside normal traffic or fenced areas, due to the potential for causing damage to nature