A still white frost and gentle fog settled on Milton Keynes one Sunday morning in December, silencing the bustling English town and sharply contrasting the events of the day before. Tucked in Buckinghamshire just north of London, the vibrant community is known for its concrete cow sculptures, vast greenery and sometimes chaotic roundabouts. Some are the one-lane format that Americans are used to, while others are multilaned with cars zipping in and out at speeds that would shock a visitor.
Especially if the cars are the RB7, the model that won the Formula One drivers’ and constructors’ championships for Red Bull in 2011.
That chilly morning, Midsummer Boulevard, located in the heart of Red Bull Racing’s home city, was shut down to celebrate the team’s 2022 titles. Thousands of fans gathered to watch drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez fly down the street and through a roundabout. One person’s reaction captured why fans squished together on the street and rubbed their hands together to find some semblance of warmth.
