Capital crowds in awe at F1 skills

Irish city centre drivers had a shock to the system yesterday after their normally snail-paced congested routes were transformed for an ear-cracking 160km/h Formula One exhibition.

The bank holiday event, which saw up to 110,000 racing fans flock to Dublin city centre, was headlined by former world champion Jenson Button, who wowed the crowds with an array of skills.

And while there was no race to be won, the eye-catching Bavaria City Racing driving — which included more than 70 cars, super-bikes, drifters, and stunt vehicles — is likely to have won over more fans to motorsport.

“The main thing for us was putting on a show, so the weather didn’t really make much of a difference,” said Button. “It was great to see such a big crowd despite the weather. This event is great for motorsports fans in Ireland; they got to hear and see a F1 car and just went crazy.”

In preparation for the event, much of Dublin city centre was a no-go zone for regular traffic from late on Saturday, resulting in an unusual delay for motorists who more often claim it is impossible to drive at any speed in the capital.

However, for the massive crowds that saw the event — including some who paid for grandstand seating — the benefits of the event far outweighed any problems.

“The people of Dublin have turned up in their thousands and created a real festival atmosphere in the city,” said event director Gavin Collins.

“Bavaria City Racing has given every spectator a unique F1 experience and shown that it has a huge future in Ireland.”

The Dublin F1 showcase was just one of a number of major festivals across the country this weekend, including the Bloom Festival in the capital.

In Cork, the Ocean to City maritime festival — which continues this week — brought crowds determined to make the most of the break despite the weather, as they enjoyed live music, rowing and yachting exhibitions and Saturday’s Rás Mór.

In Dublin, the Forbidden Fruit three-day music and comedy festival attracted large numbers, with revellers set to enjoy five stages of fun at the Kilmainham event’s final day today.