Lucky competition winner wins dream drive in Red Bull racer
A Surrey man has achieved his life-long ambition to drive a real Formula One car after winning a completion organised by Infiniti, Nissan’s premium car brand.
Man from Surrey wins the chance of a lifetime
Carl Lawrence from South Godstone was selected from hundreds of hopefuls after taking a test drive at his local dealership.
His prize was a visit to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing factory in the UK to drive the F1 team’s simulator and undergo an intense tuition program, before heading to the Dubai Autodrome, where he received personal tuition from Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat – first in an Infiniti Q50, before progressing to a junior single-seater car then, finally, a race-specification Formula One car.
The Infiniti Ultimate Test Drive
He also won a VIP experience at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Wow, what an experience!
The Infiniti Ultimate Test Drive campaign offered anyone who test drove an Infiniti at their local dealership the chance to be entered into a draw.
A total of 25 finalists were then selected to compete against each other in a driving assessment day.
Lawrence was deemed the best driver by a panel of experts, and joined two other winners from Russia and the Middle East for the main prize.
Lawrence said of his experience: “After winning the UK round it was still unbelievable to think I will actually be experiencing a drive in an F1 race car.
"From seeing the Infiniti Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes and trying out a race simulator, to then arrive at the race track in Dubai, it was like I was living what can only be described as nearly every man’s dream.
Carl Lawrence and the team
"To then receive instruction from Daniil Kyvat and eventually lower myself into the cockpit of an F1 car is something I will never ever forget.
"To say I was nervous is an understatement.”
Carl Lawrence was selected from hundreds of hopefuls
He added; “The immense noise, power and speed of these cars is so intense it is beyond words, how they race for nearly two hours and then step out for interviews immediately afterwards is just unbelievable. My only problem is that when I tell anyone back home what I have been up to this week, nobody will ever believe me. Wow, what an experience!"