Ahead of one of the most anticipated motorsport events on the U.S. calendar this year, the BBC has released exclusive footage capturing a blistering 180mph lap around the newly configured IndyCar circuit cutting through downtown Washington, D.C. The race, dubbed the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, carries far more than sporting stakes: it stands as a centerpiece event marking the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. What makes the event even more notable for motorsport fans across the country is that it will be the first major open-wheel auto race hosted within the boundaries of the U.S. capital in over two decades, ending a 24-year drought of top-tier racing in the nation’s heart. For years, major racing series have focused their schedules on permanent road courses and speedways outside major metropolitan areas, making this street course event in Washington a landmark departure that has drawn widespread attention from racing fans and casual observers alike. The BBC’s on-track test run gives audiences a first-person view of the challenges drivers will face when they take to the track, from tight turns past iconic D.C. landmarks to long straightaways that allow cars to hit speeds north of 180 miles per hour.