Only a few weeks after the riots, Manchester was back in the headlines but this time for the right reasons. As well as ‘We Love Manchester Day’ and the 21st Pride weekend taking place, the city played host to a three day event staged by the Formula 1 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team.
All August Bank Holiday weekend, Vodafone VIP hosted the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Fan Zone in Albert Square which included a bespoke Go Kart track, an F1 simulator and an exhibition of F1 race suits and helmets. The Hilton Deansgate saw its forecourt transformed into a working Pit Garage.
The whole event aimed to bring the excitement of Formula 1 racing that bit closer, and give fans the chance to experience aspects of F1 first hand.
The Bank Holiday Monday was the culmination of the event and despite the weather, thousands of people gathered in the city centre to see the 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button. Following an impressive race and a podium finish at the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday, Button swapped the circuit at Spa for the streets of Manchester.
After meeting the crowd and signing autographs, he drove two lucky Vodafone winners through the streets in a new McLaren MP4-12 road car. Jenson then thrilled fans by driving his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 at close to 100 miles per hour around a purpose built track in the city centre.
Starting from Deansgate, the 2008 spec MP4-23 McLaren, sporting an ‘I Love Manchester’ sticker roared deafeningly along John Dalton Street and through Albert Square where Button slowed to perform several ‘doughnuts’ in front of the crowds. At the end of the demonstration, and in true Formula 1 style, Button stood on top of the car to acknowledge the cheering fans. Finally, he finished the day off by taking part in an on stage Q&A session in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Fan Zone.
Jenson Button wasn’t the only celebrity in the city that weekend. Sporting celebrities were out in force enjoying the excitement of Formula 1 in Manchester. Boxer Amir Khan, world champion gymnast Beth Tweddle, England cricket captain Michael Vaughan and gold medal cyclist Sir Chris Hoy were among those enjoying the spectacle.
Jenson enjoyed the day enormously, commenting: “I think Vodafone VIP has done a brilliant job to make this happen – it can’t have been easy – but to see the looks on people’s faces when I opened up the throttle, was a fantastic moment. It is all about giving something back to the fans and just unleashing the awesome power of a Formula 1 car.
words: Sam Quinton
photos: Ben Quinton & Chris Brown
