© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World RunRunners Join VCARB for Wings for Life World RunMore than 400 of you took to the streets of Faenza!
OnSunday,the10thofMay,thestreetssurroundingourFaenzafactorybecamepartofsomethingmuchbiggerthanmotorsport,asmorethan400participantsjoinedVCARBforthe2026WingsforLifeWorldRun.
With almost half of the participants made up of VCARB employees and the other half formed by members of the local community and participants from other Italian regions, the day reflected exactly what the event is about: people coming together for an important cause.
Quick Photo Opportunity Before Setting Off© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
From the moment guests arrived, the factory carried a different kind of atmosphere. Registration was hosted in the team facilities, allowing participants to explore the space, see VCARB static show cars up close and experience the Formula 1 vibe.
Registration Essentials - Red Bull Always© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
Visually, the run represented that connection between team and community. VCARB employees wore a specially produced royal blue event t-shirt, while external participants wore the official light blue Wings for Life World Run shirts, creating a clear picture of the team and the Italian community running side by side through Faenza.
Before the run began, a close friend of the team addressed participants from the start area: a wheelchair user and long-time supporter of VCARB, he spoke about the importance of the event and the power of community. Earlier this year, he also attended our VCARB F1 talk show hosted at Faenza’s town theatre, another local event which welcomed around 500 people and highlighted the growing connection between the team and the town.
The start of the race itself carried a motorsport touch. Using a traditional pit-lane-style lollipop board, the field was sent off before the team pushed one of our cars out of the hangar, symbolically swapping our usual version of “running” for a very different kind of race day.
Adding to the atmosphere throughout the event were live bike stunt performances, with a very enthusiastic BMX rider delivering tricks both before and after the run, while a DJ kept the energy high across the factory grounds on board a Red Bull event car, which entertained the runners along the first lap of the six km “circuit”.
Some Tricks To Start The Day Off© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
Among those taking part were CEO Peter Bayer and F1 Academy driver Rafaela Ferreira, who completed the run alongside all participants.
Peter And Rafa Ready To Get Going© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
The route itself took runners through the countryside surrounding the factory. At the halfway point, participants passed through a dedicated “pit stop” area set within an amazing park, where runners could grab some water “on the go” while heading back towards HQ.
By the end of the day, participants had covered a combined total of 3,731 kilometres.
Half-Way 'Pit-Stop'© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
The winning runners were also closely connected to the team. The men’s event was won by former Racing Bulls employee Christian Reali, who covered 35.38 km, while the women’s winner was the partner of a current VCARB employee, Maya Cucinelli, with a distance of 19.3 km. CEO Peter Bayer later presented the awards to both winners at the factory.
Your KM Smashers© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
What stood out most across the day was the atmosphere. Away from race weekends and life at the circuit, the event offered another example of the relationship continuing to grow between VCARB and the town of Faenza.
For one afternoon, the roads around our factory became less about lap time and performance, and more about people coming together to support spinal cord injury research through movement, energy and community.
Ready. Set. Go© Enrico Biavati for Wings for Life World Run
