Video: Formula One on the streets of London

After years of speculation about a potential F1 street race in London, the financial heart of the capital were closed down prior to the British Grand Prix to host a demo event to show the spectacle of an F1 race in London.

This is the first time that an F1 car has raced around the streets of London at speed, and the streetrace-style track consisted of 1.5 miles of the roads of the financial district of the Docklands development.

Lotus F1 Team driver Marco Sorensen drove his car, which is capable of speeds of up to 185mph, through the roads of the Canary Wharf development to mark the start of the build-up to this year’s years Race Week Festival in London during the British Grand Prix. Race Week is a festival of F1 cars and all things fast, in central London on Thursday 3rd July at Honorable Artillery Company giving F1 fans to get up close with live F1 cars.

The event was organised by Race Week in partnership with EMC.

Jonny Dodge organiser of Race Week said: “Today we created a Monaco-style street circuit in London to prove it could be done, and we hope that we can bring the Grand Prix to London in future years.”

Lotus F1 Team driver Marco Sorensen said: “This has been such an amazing opportunity to drive around the streets of Canary Wharf. It would be incredible if we could have a full Grand Prix race in London. I know a lot of the drivers would really love the opportunity to race around the iconic streets of London so I hope it can become a reality.”

Murray Irvine, CFO UK&I for Lotus team sponsor EMC said: “London is surrounded by innovation, with many of the F1 teams located nearby it would be great to give something back to the capital and host a race here. It would be a huge boost for the city in terms of tourism and jobs and would give a real feel good factor to the city, just like the 2012 Olympics did.”

He added: “A London street circuit would give fans a real opportunity to see, hear and smell the cars up close. It would be fantastic to host a race like Monaco. England is the home of motor sport and a street circuit in London would be an amazing and challenging race for the drivers. This would be something that F1 fans would relish.”

The Canary Wharf Group granted permission for Lotus to race their car around the streets for the whole morning and several thousand fans turned up to see the spectacle.

A spokesman for Canary Wharf Group said: “This is what a potential London Grand Prix may look like.”

Race Week