Red Bull Racing invited film star Tom Cruise to sample their F1 car and have released this six minute behind the scenes video documenting his experiences at Willow Springs. Under the watchful eye of ex F1 and current DTM racer David Coulthard, Cruise clocked up nearly 30 laps in the Red Bull and got within 4mph of Coulthards top speed. There was no mention of any lap times though.
Tom Cruise, renowned for his roles in the iconic Days of Thunder movies centered around NASCAR, embraced a thrilling opportunity on Monday, August 15th, by accepting an invitation to test drive the Red Bull Racing F1 car in Southern California.
Under the guidance of David Coulthard, who served as Cruise’s instructor for the day, along with support from a dedicated 12-person crew flown in from Milton Keynes, the Hollywood star immersed himself in the exhilarating world of Formula 1. Despite his passion for racing and previous experience with various race cars, Cruise had never before tackled the challenge of an F1 car.
Zooming around the 2.5-mile (4km) Willow Springs race track in Rosamond, California, Cruise pushed the 850-horsepower machine to its limits, reaching an impressive top speed of 181 miles per hour. Over the course of the seven-hour session, Cruise completed 24 laps, each one a testament to his dedication and skill behind the wheel.
The day began with Cruise and Coulthard familiarizing themselves with the racing lines in a passenger car before transitioning to the intricacies of the F1 machine. Between adrenaline-fueled stints on the track, the team meticulously analyzed the car's telemetry data with Cruise, offering valuable insights to enhance his performance.
By the final lap, Cruise had shaved almost 11 seconds off his initial lap time, a remarkable feat that left Coulthard in awe. Reflecting on Cruise's aptitude, Coulthard remarked, "Tom's the real deal. His rapid adaptation to the complexities of driving an F1 car was truly impressive. He's a true daredevil, and today's experience was as authentic as it gets. He thoroughly impressed me."
