The sound and the fumes

April 10, 2009: It wasn't the heat of the afternoon sun or the odour of burning rubber. It was the sound – loud, fierce and wicked – that you couldn't escape, ricocheting off the stunt platform over the lagoon at Downtown Burj Dubai.
The Renault F1 R28 with its seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox, carbon brake discs and V8 engine did what it does best – burn the tarmac. And it did so with such ear-splitting, strident automotive power and superiority that it drowned the drum roll of cheering voices.
And it wasn't the only machine exercising its muscle on the drag strip-smooth platform at the Renault Roadshow three weeks ago. The two Mégane Trophy Renault Sport cars were flexing their villainous 330 bhp each along with other stunt vehicles.

The Roadshow, which was in Dubai for the first of its four-stop worldwide itinerary, showed off ING Renault F1 Team race drivers Nelson Piquet, Romain Grosjean, demonstration driver Adam Khan, and stunt drivers Terry Grant, Julien Piguet and Nicolas Navarro.

Since its conception in 2003, the Roadshow has visited 18 cities; it is scheduled to travel to Bucharest, Moscow and Algiers later this year. Piquet was fresh from the Malaysian Grand Prix 2009. "I have raced in Dubai before, but not on this kind of platform and at night," he said.

Khan, who had his first taste of F1 machinery this year, echoed Piquet's concern about the platform and said that they had been briefed not to go near the edge. "Emptying the lagoon may prove to be a costly expenditure! Still it is an amazing setting for spectators to see F1 action."

Grosjean, who gained testing experience with the ING Renault F1 Team last year, said he felt great about the Roadshow. "It is more challenging than on a circuit." As anticipated, the Renault team delivered a visually arresting performance with handbrake turns, donuts, wheelspins, power slides and tyre burnouts. All accompanied by almost deafening sound effects.
Carolina D'Souza is Lifestyle Features Coordinator, Friday

Racing terms

Drag is resistance encountered that limits straight-line speed. Hairpin is a sharp, 180Þ turn on a track. It resembles a hairpin when viewed from above.
Draft is the aerodynamic effect that allows two or more cars travelling nose-to-tail to run faster than a single car. When one car follows another closely, the one in front cuts through the air, providing a cleaner path of air and less resistance for the car behind.

Burnout is when the driver applies the throttle from a standing start and spins the rear tyres and generates smoke while moving forward. Power-slides is when the driver applies a sharp burst of throttle while turning the steering wheel to generate sideways sliding movement for the car while still moving forward. Information courtesy: ING Renault F1 team, organisers of the Renault Roadshow, Dubai

On the road

The first global Renault Roadshow, which took place on April 9-12 in Dubai marked the arrival of the Renault F1 R28. Mohammad Bin Sulayem, ATC UAE President and FIA Vice-President raced the F1 car in two drag races – one with super cars and the other against two powerful Renault Mégane Trophy Renault Sport cars; he raced with Renault F1 team stunt drivers Julien Piguet and Nicolas Navarro.

The first leg kicked-off in the heart of the city at Downtown Burj Dubai on April 10 where Piquet had his first roadshow performance along with fellow team drivers and stunt driver, Terry Grant. On April 11 there were four more Renault F1 performances.

On April 12 Renault F1 Team stunt drivers Piguet and Navarro drove the new Renault Koleos down the snow covered slopes of Ski Dubai accompanied by candle-bearing skiers in a twilight procession. Alongside, the Renault Formula 1 car driven by Piquet performed on the Ski Dubai platform.