LEEDS only just won the Championship title race – but have already found themselves in a new one.
Players raced against a FORMULA ONE CAR at Elland Road – but the stunt risked ruining their pitch ahead of their return to the Premier League.
Leeds are sponsored by Red Bull, whose sporting ventures also include the F1 team.
And in an unlikely collaboration, club chiefs allowed the RB7 motor on the playing surface to compete in a drag race against three of Leeds’ fastest stars.
The idea came about at last year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone – with the players thinking they had a chance of beating the mega engine with a few obstacles.
So Willy Gnonto, Largie Ramazani and Isaac Schmidt took on F2 driver Arvid Lindblad in the unique challenge.
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The footballers and racing car started on the edge of the penalty box and had to go around mannequins on the 18-yard line at the other end of the pitch and come back to the starting point to finish.
Lindblad suffered a nightmare start as he struggled to get the wheels going on the grass.
The four involved were pretty much dead level approaching the mannequins.
And the car’s turning circle meant the footballers regained their lead going into the second half of the race.
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But as they began to tire – or tyre – the car closed the gap and eventually roared past to win by about 30 yards.
F1 fan Largie Ramazani said of the publicity stunt: “This was a great experience, the only thing better would be getting in the car.
“Before the race I was scared, but I was confident too. I think we did great, but in the end the car was just too quick.
“Dan James was involved in the idea but unfortunately he’s been injured.
“But I’d back my team-mate over that car any day – DJ would smoke this car.”
Driver Lindblad added: “Ahead of the race I was a bit nervous.
“I’d never driven on grass and had no idea how it would go.
“The car has a ton of horsepower and there is not much grip on grass, so I wasn’t sure if I could go full throttle and turn the car properly.”
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The spectacle also featured a slalom ‘dribbling’ challenge – and it was no wonder the car left tyre marks across the pitch.
No doubt the groundstaff were not best pleased… although the pitch will likely be ripped up and replaced for the Premier League campaign after winning the 2024-25 Championship under Daniel Farke.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
