Red Bull Racing driver Neel Jani took the high road, quite literally, when he drove the Red Bull Racing Formula One show car along the 18,380ft-high Khardung La pass in the Ladakh region of India.
Neel Jani's drive from Leh to Khardung La makes Red Bull Racing the first Formula One team to have transported, fired-up and driven one of its cars along what is arguably the most challenging driving terrain in the world.
Barely a week after Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo dazzled New Delhi with his driving skills, it was Neel Jani’s turn to go down in history. A Swiss driver of Indian origin, Neel took the Red Bull Racing car along the various roads that cut through the Leh region in India’s extreme north.
During the journey, the Red Bull Racing Formula One car passed the famous Thiksey Monastery, stopped by the Shanti Stupa and encountered the notorious rolling roads of South Pullu.
Neel was greeted along the way by the Chief Minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah. He flagged off a part of Neel's historic journey.
Anthony Ward, Head of Brand for Red Bull Racing, said: 'It is a testament to the engineering crew of Red Bull Racing that we have been able to get a Formula One car running from 11,000ft, all the way up to the 18,380ft mark. Logistically, too, this project demonstrates Red Bull Racing’s commitment to continually pushing boundaries.'
For 27-year-old Neel Jani – who took part in Red Bull Racing’s journey to Table Mountain in South Africa – this was an experience he's unlikely to forget anytime soon. 'Of all the places I’ve driven around the world, Khardung La has got to be the most humbling. The Himalayas are as imposing as anything in the world and to become a part of history here will be a cherished memory,' he said.
The Red Bull Speed Street Leh project marks another milestone for Red Bull Racing, adding to other impressive runs, including the Formula One Santo Domingo Beach Run and the Canadian Red Bull Frozen One on ice.
by Simon Schreyer, Oct 12, 2011
