Forty teams from across Bosnia and Herzegovina will take part in the Red Bull Soapbox Race Sarajevo today, September 6, at Alipasino Field, competing in handmade, engine-free vehicles designed to conquer a 400-meter track while impressing the audience and judges with creativity, humor and performance.
The first vehicles have already arrived at the venue, where each undergoes an inspection that includes weighing, measuring and a general technical safety check.
Among the first teams to arrive was the Mumijevi team from the JU Mixed High School in Gračanica, made up of Professor Eldin and his students. Inspired by The Moomins cartoon, their vehicle was created as a graduation project using recycled materials.
The students worked in a workshop provided by their grandfather Hamid, who also supervised them throughout the construction process. They plan to complete their performance on the track by appearing in costumes inspired by their favorite childhood characters.
“We wanted to use a bit of parody and humor to remember the cartoons we grew up with, but also to introduce these characters to younger audiences. The most important thing is that we built the vehicle together, learned a lot and turned our graduation project into an experience we will remember for a long time,” the Mumijevi team said.
The Superbrke team from Banja Luka also arrived at the venue. The team, gathered around an association of the same name, promotes men’s health and the importance of preventive medical examinations.
Their moustache-inspired vehicle was built from scratch, using extensive welding and creatively repurposed scrap materials, bicycle parts and other items found in workshops. The vehicle was originally designed with four wheels and space for two drivers, but will ultimately compete on three wheels with one driver.
The team arrived in a 1990 Renault 4 and plans to conduct a symbolic check-up before the race to emphasize its message about preventive healthcare.
“Our message is serious, although we convey it through fun: men should regularly go for preventive check-ups. If we check the vehicle and the driver before the race, then we need to take even more care of our own health,” Superbrke said.
Representing Sarajevo on home turf, SVR Moto Sport will compete with its “Švrakino Formula.” The experienced craftsmen behind the team set themselves one main goal from the beginning: to build the vehicle and make it to the starting line.
After three to four sleepless nights of work and plenty of improvisation, they succeeded. Having arrived at the venue on foot, the team proudly says that Švrakino Selo has become “the first village to get its own Formula,” while assuring fans that the vehicle has passed all its stress tests.
“It wasn’t always clear how we would get to the finished vehicle, but giving up was not an option. We improvised, worked through the nights and now we can’t wait for the Švrakino Formula to show what it can do on home soil,” SVR Moto Sport said.
The gates to the Red Bull Soapbox Race Sarajevo open at 11:00, with music and a warm-up featuring Helem Nejse, DJ Soul and surprise guests. The main program and race are scheduled to begin at 12:30.
Admission is free.
Due to the expected large number of visitors and limited parking capacity, organizers recommend arriving by public transport. A temporary traffic regime will also be introduced on streets along the route.
Visitors may enter the event area through marked entrances and will undergo security checks. Glass and PET packaging, cans, personal food and drinks, pyrotechnics, weapons, sharp objects and other potentially dangerous items are prohibited, with exceptions for babies, young children and health-related needs.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. With warm and sunny weather expected, visitors are advised to wear light clothing, use sun protection and arrive early.
