The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced on Mar. 31 at their headquarters in Paris that a special Formula One (F1) race will be held in the streets of Fukuoka on May 3, 2013, coinciding with Fukuoka’s Dontaku Festival. Fukuoka City’s mayor was quoted as saying, “The 785 year-old festival is hugely popular, drawing about three million visitors over three days, but it’s become slow-paced and predictable.” The Mayor’s comments refer to the slow moving trucks covered with flowers that parade through the city’s streets during the festival. The Mayor continued… “replacing the ‘hana densha’ with 780 horsepower FI race cars will put some bang back into festival.”
The “Dontaku FI” as it will be called, will use the city’s regular avenues as its circuit. Speeds along the main straights such as Watanabe-dori may reach upwards of 320 km/h, but spectators can expect to see the cars more easily as they race through the more narrow roads including Nishi-dori, Keyaki-dori and on the uphill Josui-dori. Due to the sudden decision to hold the race only ten of nineteen FI teams will participate. As expected defending World Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel will compete in his Red Bull Racing car. Meanwhile his rival, Fernando Alonso, has announced he will drive a Ferrari but it will be painted to resemble “Kumamon” adding he’s a huge fan of the furry mascot and hopes to meet him during his stay in Kyushu. While the projected economic impact for Fukuoka City is huge, the planned race is not without critics. Shopkeepers who count on the Dontaku festival for their Spring sales have expressed concern that cars racing through the city center will make it difficult for shoppers to cross the roads. City officials are recommending citizens point their hands out and look to both sides before crossing streets. If this year’s Dontaku F1 goes well the city hopes it will become an regular FIA race and make Fukuoka famous worldwide. Source: FN
