These pictures show possibly the fastest commute between New Jersey and New York in history as a Formula 1 car travels at 190mph and takes less than 30 seconds to travel through New York’s Lincoln Tunnel.

Motoring his 900 horse-powered vehicle under the Hudson River, former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard raced from New Jersey to Manhattan and completed a journey that would take three minutes at the legal speed limit if there was zero traffic — which is rare.

The 1.5 mile long Lincoln Tunnel, which carries 120,000 cars a day, was closed in the early hours of Wednesday morning to allow Coulthard and the British-based Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team to play out every New Yorker’s fantasy.

‘The test drive is meant to bring the world’s attention to New Jersey and New Jersey’s attention to Formula 1 racing,’ said Tony Burrows, Red Bull Racing’s Support Team Manager.

David Coulthard drives through the Lincoln Tunnel from New Jersey to New York

This is the second summer in succession that the Red Bull team have visited Weehawken and West New York to test out and promote the proposed track of the ‘Grand Prix of America.’

Designed as a street circuit with the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop, the race would take place in New Jersey.

David Coulthard, the winner of 13 Grand Prix’s, took the Red Bull RB7 championship-winning car through Liberty State Park, the Lincoln Tunnel and parts of the race course.

‘We were wondering about the cracks and everything in the roads, but I don’t think they’re an issue,’ said Coulthard to The Jersey Journal.

‘I think people are excited to see what we can do out there.’

Filming the Lincoln Tunnel drive from the air and the ground, Red Bull are hoping to keep enthusiasm going for the Formula 1 race in a country which is known to be ambivalent to the global race-fest.

‘The Grand Prix next June is not an official race yet,’ said Leo Parente, a former Formula 1 racer covering the event for Youtube’s Drive channel.

‘Generally, Formula 1 races are not official until the beginning of the year because local business or politics may interfere with planned races.

‘Events like this are a way to build excitement for the race and keep it from being canceled.’

The ‘Grand Prix of America’ is scheduled to be raced in June of 2013 and has the backing of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

‘It’s incredible. This is going to be an economic boom for this whole region,’ said the outspoken politician.

The circuit of the grand prix has already been compared to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix, the world’s premier and most glamorous street circuit.

The expected New Jersey race would come over 30 years since the sport’s boss, Bernie Ecclestone’s last serious attempt to set up an event in the Garden State.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here