Some 100,000 people attended the spectacular Formula 1 Road Show in Jerusalem, sponsored by Israel Hayom, on Thursday. The excited spectators who lined the sides of the course enjoyed every minute of the display. The unprecedented event, which was scheduled to continue into Friday afternoon, drew a large and eclectic audience that cheered every time the motorcycles and Formula 1 cars whizzed by, making hearts vibrate with their powerful engines. For several hours, the controversies that normally characterize Jerusalem were put aside, and a diverse mosaic of Israelis watched up close as the amazing motor sport stars temporarily conquered the city. The audience included many women who enjoyed the first Formula 1 event ever to be held in Israel. "It was an amazing experience, the most fast and furious thing I have seen," said Masada Porat, who was enthused by the unique display. "It was a rare, extreme event that explodes in your face." Irena Fakula, who came prepared donning a Formula 1 hat, echoed her friend Masada's enthusiasm. "It was extraordinary," she described excitedly. "[Stunt rider] Chris Pfeiffer was phenomenal. We saw and heard the motorcycles up close, we saw the beautiful cars and we also saw lots of happy people. There should be more events like this in Jerusalem; people are starved for this kind of culture." Max Biaggi, one of the biggest names in motorcycle racing, sparked a lot of excitement when he rode his Ducati Tricolore. Biaggi himself sounded excited by the Formula 1 event in the Israeli capital. "It is very special for me to ride in Jerusalem -- this amazing city," Biaggi said. "This is an extraordinary event. I will never forget it." Motor sport stars drove terrifyingly fast on a specially marked course along the city's streets. This was the first time that Formula 1 cars scorched the Jerusalem streets, putting the Israeli capital in line with Moscow, New York, Sao Paulo and Monaco. One of the highlights of the show was, without a doubt, the fantastic display put on by German stunt rider Pfeiffer, who stunned the audience with his performance. Pfeiffer, feeding off the adoration of the crowd that did not stop cheering him for a moment, stood on one foot on his moving BMW motorcycle, rode standing up, stood on his side, and even clapped his feet mid-ride. For the finale, Pfeiffer dismounted from his bike doing an acrobatic flip in the air, drawing wild applause. Another mega-star who sped down Jerusalem's streets on Thursday was Italian race car driver Giancarlo Fisichella, who currently serves as a Ferrari test driver. Fisichella drove the crowd crazy with his aerodynamic Formula 1 Ferrari. "This is a historic day for Israel and for Jerusalem," Fisichella said. "It is an honor for me to take part in this event and I am glad that the audience got to see the car up close and hear the loud engine in this special city." Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat summed up the event, saying: "Spectators from every sector of society stood along the course -- Jews, Muslims, Christians, secular, religious and haredi. Sports bring everyone together and it is a wonderful example of coexistence in Jerusalem.
