VIDEO. Toulouse. With their cake mounted on a mower, they prepare for the Red Bull soapbox race
By Lucie Fraisse
Published on
A 530 m long race, on the slopes of Pech David, with obstacles to avoid. On Sunday, September 18, 2022, the Red Bull soapbox race is coming to Toulouse and the show is likely to be there!
About fifty teams at the start
Among the 40 teams that must cross the starting line, we find the Zouave team. A group of four friends in their early thirties. Who have heard of the race in very specific circumstances…
“I was in my underwear in front of my TV and I saw an advertisement for the race, explains Nicolas, one of the four members of the Zouave Team. When I saw that it was happening in Toulouse and in addition on my birthday, I said to myself that it was a sign. »
Application file
He then embarks on the adventure Clément, one of his colleagues who works with him in a bar in the city center. “He told me: we make a soapbox quickly without taking the lead and we participate, laughs Clément. I had to explain to him that it would be a little more complicated. »
The conditions to participate at the red bull race are indeed quite strict. Soapboxes must respect a certain size, weigh less than 80 kilos, have an effective braking system, etc.
Lawn tractor and waste materials
By chance, Clément’s father used to renovate cars and knew about mechanics. The two young men also call on Kevin and Theo, two graphic designer friends, to complete the team. Together, they prepared their application – a very complete file – before sending it to Red Bull last March.
With a lawn tractor as a base
“From the outset on a decision to make a soap box in the shape of a cake, since the race is held on my birthday, explains Nicolas. And we chose to use a lawn tractor as the basis of the vehicle. »
When in June the Zouave team learns that it has been selected for the course, work to build the soapbox begins. “We only used recycled materials,” says Clément. We had to raise the chassis, find new wheels, redo the alignment, create brake discs, adapt the pads…”
Importance of team creativity
The participants in the soapbox race will of course be judged on their travel time to hurtle down the hills of Pech David, but their creativity will also be qualified, both on the vehicle and on the their costumes and presentation at the start of the race.
“Our goal is to get to the end of the course, explains Clément. I planned to install a stopwatch on the wheel of our soapbox: if I see that we do zero time during the race, I promise we will put on a show on the track. »
A participation without headache therefore for the Zouave team. “We follow a few other participants on social networks, we have the impression that some soapboxes were made by engineers, smiles Nicolas. We, we don’t go there to win. Besides, we won’t even test our vehicle before the race! ”
In video, Clément and Nicolas in full preparation of their soapbox:
Practical information :
The race will be held on Sunday September 18, at 61 chemin des Côtes de Pech David, in Toulouse, from 2 p.m.
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