India’s first RedBull Soapbox Race conducted in Mumbai over the weekend unleashed a mix of creativity and madness contained in the average Mumbaikar.
Around 10,000 people gathered around Bandra’s iconic Mount Marry Road, where the audience got to witness 53 teams dressed as Dabbawalas, Superman, Santa Claus and many such characters coming down the twisty hill in their wacky creations and hitting the finish line.
For those who don’t know what we are talking about, the Red Bull Soapbox Race is a racing event where vehicles are propelled down a marked hill only with help of gravity. Teams have to be at their creative best and use design ideas and workshop skills to produce one-off cars and then race these muscle-powered vehicles in a downhill course against the clock.
The winning team gets a fully paid visit to the Red Bull HQ at Salzburg, Austria coupled with a visit to Hangar 7 and a DTM Racing Circuit. The first runner up team will get a fully paid experience for Sunburn Goa 2012 and the second runner up team will get free entry to the most happening New Year party in town with friends. There was also an Electric Trikke to be won by the fastest driver of the day.
The competition was judged by Actor and Model Lisa Hayden, Actor and Youth icon Rannvijay Singh, Theater and TV personality Kunal Vijaykar, Indian rugby spearhead Nasser Hussain and 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team member Balwinder Singh Sandhu.
The crowd was entertained by the ultra-funny Cyrus Broacha, the mast maula Jose Covaco (Pronouced as Hoe-Zay) and the gorgeous Ramona Arena, who was zipping around in the Red Bull Mini.
The event kicked off with actor Imran Khan and director Vishal Bhardwaj flagging off the race with ‘Gulabo’ soapbox, as a homage to their upcoming film, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola. The teams winning the debut event were Dabbawallas, Team Tritech and Feni Talks in first, second and third places respectively. The teams were awarded prizes by the Honorable M.P. Priya Dutt and local MLA Baba Siddiqui.
We are sure that next year's event will be bigger and better with many more teams taking part and coming out with ideas that have wit and humor. Enjoy the full gallery below. This is how creativity looks when it is sloshed!
Redbull Soapbox Race 2012 Mumbai Image Slideshow
[can't see the slideshow above? Head over to Flickr]
