Riga City Day F1 show sparks online debate — some thrilled, others outraged

As part of Riga's 825th anniversary celebrations, the city centre hosted its first-ever “Red Bull Showrun,” a motorsport event that drew thousands of spectators eager to see F1 cars, drifting and other racing disciplines up close. Latvian rally driver Mārtiņš Sesks also took part in the show.

Following the event, a lively discussion unfolded on the social platform Threads, with opinions sharply divided. Some users expressed disappointment, criticizing drivers for apparent speeding and questionable behavior inside the cars, as well as oversized screens at the venue. Others questioned why F1-related content took such a prominent place in Riga's birthday programme, asking what connection the sport actually has to the city or the country.

Supporters and critics

Many commenters defended the event, pointing out that F1 is currently a highly popular motorsport and that the massive turnout along the riverside and on the Vanšu Bridge itself demonstrated genuine public interest. Several noted the show was especially anticipated among younger residents. Some praised Rīgas satiksme, the city's public transport operator, for running frequent services during the event, while others made ironic remarks about the pavement damage along the embankment.

Safety concerns raised

Other comments focused on crowd safety. Some users noted that police only asked the crowd to clear the Vanšu Bridge shortly after the show began, by which point it was already packed with people. Others pointed to careless behavior among pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, who reportedly continued crossing intersections even as emergency vehicles approached with lights and sirens активированы.

Riga City Council had previously promoted the “Red Bull Showrun” as one of the flagship events of this year's City Day celebrations.