Pirelli has revealed the ‘Heroo!’ trophies for F1 US GP, as Williams reveals plans by them for Alexander Albon’s 100th grand prix.
Pirelli –
In any discussion about Formula 1, it’s always the drivers who are portrayed as the heroes and rightly so, as they race at over 300 km/h, reclining in a made-to-measure cockpit squeezed into a carbon fibre shell, with a 1000 horsepower Power Unit and a cell holding just over a hundred litres of fuel right behind them. While it’s true that the highest level of motorsport is much safer than before, even compared to the quite recent past, that takes nothing away from the heroic nature of the driver’s role. So Pirelli has chosen to illustrate this fact by having a rather unusual hero on the podium, in the shape of the trophy presented to the top three finishers in the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2024 and it goes by the name of Heroo!
Heroo was created by the Italian artist and designer Matteo Macchiavelli, in collaboration with Pirelli Motorsport. It is an interpretation of the connection between the racing car and its tyres, while also being an artwork that links beauty and elegance with the excitement, sense of speed and quality of the materials that go into a Formula 1 car. The trophy takes the form of a human silhouette with arms raised in triumph, the whole encased in carbon fibre, sitting on a rubber base. The ones for the Grand Prix winning driver and team representative stand out with the helmet painted in golden yellow, sprinkled in gold dust, while silver and titanium are the colours and finish chosen for the second and third placed drivers respectively. The Austin podium will not be a one-off appearance for Heroo, as replicas will be produced in a limited production run for collectors and fans of collectible art toys.
Heroo is not the only novelty that Pirelli is bringing to Austin. As was already the case in Miami, Montreal, Silverstone and Monza, there will be a special Austin edition of the Podium Cap. This weekend’s cap is made from denim, which was first used to make work clothes, especially jeans since the 1930s. Now, they are very much in everyday use, made popular by the likes of movie stars such as Marlon Brando and James Dean, who gave them cultural significance as a symbol of freedom and rebellion. As with the other special edition caps, the Austin Podium Caps will also be on sale at https://afbmotorsport.com/en/
Williams –
Alex Albon will make his 100th Formula 1 race start at the United States GP this Sunday, rounding off a week of Williams Racing celebrations to mark the milestone. The 28-year-old Thai driver will carry a special commemorative logo on his FW46 across the Austin race weekend as he reaches a century of F1 Grands Prix. Now in his fifth F1 season, Alex has scored 240 career points and two podiums with a best result of third at the 2020 Tuscan and Bahrain GPs. He made his debut at the 2019 Australian GP for Scuderia Toro Rosso and was promoted to the senior Red Bull Racing squad just 12 races later. After a full Red Bull campaign in 2020, Alex raced in German touring cars (DTM) in 2021 before joining Williams Racing for 2022 as the team embarked on a long-term project to return to the front of the grid.
Since joining Williams he has registered an impressive 43 points, leading us to seventh place in the Constructors’ World Championship last year. In May he committed his long-term future to the team, and will form one of the most formidable driver pairings on the grid with Carlos Sainz next season. As part of his centenary celebrations, Alex will meet fans and answer questions at our Austin city centre Fan Zone, presented by Kraken, where a graffiti mural will honour his achievements. Fellow race driver Franco Colapinto, Team Principal James Vowles, 2009 F1 World Champion and Williams Racing ambassador Jenson Button, and the world’s most successful female racing driver – Williams Driver Academy adviser Jamie Chadwick – will also make appearances throughout the week, continuing our commitment to provide fans with unrivalled access to the team.
At the Fan Zone, supporters will be able to get up close and personal with a Williams FW46 show car featuring a special fan-designed rear wing design which will also be raced at the Circuit of the Americas. More than 32,000 votes were cast in our second Kraken Rear Wing Takeover, selecting special Cosmos Collection digital fan alter egos designed by leading Web3 artist Candy Apple that pay homage to Williams’ Championship-winning heritage. In an incredible opportunity, Fan Zone visitors who show their speed on our F1 racing simulators will get the chance to race for real through our collaboration with Racing Prodigy. The fastest sim drivers will advance to the next round of a qualifying competition and a shot at the ultimate prize – a pro contract to race in the Prodigy Three Series.
Limited-edition merchandise celebrating Alex’s 100th race will be available, in addition to a special Williams Racing Austin capsule collection and Cosmos Collection items. For the first time, Franco Colapinto fan wear will also be on sale as the Argentine driver makes his debut US GP appearance. Alex, Franco and James’ Fan Zone sessions will come after they get a chance to swap F1 cars for some of the world’s largest earth-moving machines during a visit to Principal Partner Komatsu’s proving grounds in Arizona.
Our dedication to offering innovative fan experiences on and offline will continue with an Augmented Reality ‘Where is Williams’ experience, taking fans on a virtual treasure hunt around Austin and the chance to win a pair of tickets for the weekend. Williams’ quest to discover and develop the best talent from around the world will see college outreach visits to Texas A&M and the University of Texas, where Jamie Chadwick will meet with the Longhorn Racing Team at the Cockrell School of Engineering.
Jamie and James Vowles will also discuss how the team is transforming and investing in what it takes to win – from people and culture to tools and technology – at a special Autosport Business event on Thursday evening. Alex Albon: “Austin week and 100 Grands Prix: reaching such a milestone in the sport is a surreal feeling. The past five years have brought with them some of the hardest but most rewarding times, and I’m grateful for every minute I’ve been a part of this sport and community. It’s a great opportunity to pause and reflect on the progress I’ve made as a driver, and I’m excited to reach 100 more races. I’m honoured to celebrate here in Austin with Williams for another home race for the team and Dorilton. Hopefully, I can make it even more special by bringing home some points for the team.”
Franco Colapinto: “It’s great to be close to home in the Americas for the upcoming triple header. This weekend will be my first time racing at COTA and first Sprint Event in F1. Only having one hour of Free Practice makes it a challenge to get up to speed before Sprint Qualifying but I’m determined to hit the ground running. During the break I’ve been putting in the work on the simulator back at Grove with the team to be prepared as possible. Finally, congrats to Alex for 100 races in the sport. It’s an amazing achievement that he can be proud of. Hopefully we can mark the moment with a positive result as a team this weekend.”
James Vowles, Team Principal: “Congratulations to Alex on reaching 100 races in Formula 1. Alex has shown over the previous 99 Grands Prix that he is one of the fastest, most determined and most dedicated drivers in the sport and we are delighted that he has committed his future to helping Williams move up the grid. I look forward to celebrating with him and our passionate fans in Austin this week.”
Lando Norris –
The Brit has become the face of Ralph Lauren Fragrances: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBGweoMJPog/?hl=en
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact
[Note: The story is as per press release]