Red Bull Showrun Johannesburg

It was a regular Sunday morning in Johannesburg—or so the residents thought—until Katherine Street in Sandton was rudely awakened by the deafening scream of a Formula 1 car. But this was no ordinary traffic jam caused by a hasty taxi driver. This was David Coulthard driving the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB7, bringing Formula 1 flair right into the heart of South Africa's economic hub. Forget zebra crossings—this was tyre smoke and donuts galore. Let’s break it all down, by the numbers.

20,000 Motorsport Fans

Picture this: Katherine Street, usually a haven for fast-walking professionals in overpriced suits, transformed into an arena of 20,000 screaming motorsport fans. Whether it was the noise, the smell of burning rubber, or the rare chance to see a car do something useful in Sandton traffic, the crowd was absolutely here for it.

750 Meters of Pure Adrenaline

A mere 750 meters of track for the Red Bull Showrun? That's less than the distance it takes you to find a decent parking spot in Sandton on a busy day. Yet, in that short span, David Coulthard did more stunts than most cars in Jo'burg do in their entire lifetime (unless you count taxis… they’ve got stunts down to a fine art).

One F1 Car, Driven by 1 Legend

One Formula 1 car. One David Coulthard. If you could feel the ground shaking as he roared past you, it wasn’t an earthquake. It was 750 horsepower reminding you why F1 drivers have better insurance than you… (You should give King Price Insurance a call nudge nudge wink wink)

38 Donuts by David Coulthard

While we counted 38 perfectly spun donuts, local spinners looked on like, "Is that all, mate?" In true South African style, the local spinning talent might have done about a hundred more, but we lost count after our calculators started smoking.

5 Tyres Burst in Glorious Destruction

What’s a Red Bull Showrun without some carnage? Five tyres bit the dust during the event. It’s almost poetic—tyres sacrificed for the art of motorsport, while onlookers cheer for rubber, smoke, and a scent no air freshener could replicate.

One German Drift Sensation

Enter Elias Hountondji, one half of the "Red Bull Driftbrothers," proving that Germans don’t just make fast cars—they also drive them sideways. Apparently, he’s a trained aerospace engineer too, which is probably useful when your car seems like it’s about to launch into orbit.

13 Grand Prix Wins, Coulthard-Style

During his career, David Coulthard clinched 13 Grand Prix wins. On Katherine Street, however, he won over 20,000 hearts, along with a few terrified pigeons.

750 Horsepower of Pure Madness

For reference, 750 horsepower is roughly equivalent to 50 taxi drivers all trying to beat the traffic light at the same time. But unlike taxis, the RB7 doesn’t stop every 30 meters to let a passenger out.

4 Photographers and 12484 Images

With four Red Bull photographers snapping 12484 pictures, there’s a good chance your "I was there!" selfie with Coulthard's RB7 doing donuts in the background made it into the gallery. You know, the one where you’re squinting because the wind blew your sunglasses away.

In the end, the Red Bull Showrun Johannesburg wasn’t just a motorsport event. It was an explosion of speed, sound, and burnt rubber, with a dash of South African flair. From Coulthard's donuts to Elias Hountondji's sideways magic, this was one day where Sandton swapped business suits for motorsport swag. Here's hoping the residents recover from the noise by next year!

Images and Video : © RedBull Content Pool