Hot Wheels

Speed demons are in for a thrill this month as Melbourne’s grand prix races back into town

WORDS KERRIE THEOBALD

From the cars to the crowds, professional racers to the celebrities, there’s no denying the 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix brings high-octane excitement to the city of Melbourne (15–18 March). Coming first is the name of the game and Melbourne is in pole position, being the first one to wave the chequered flag and officially open the 2007 Formula One racing season.

Arguably the world’s most glamorous sporting event, the Grand Prix is definitely an important social pit stop in the year. The carnival atmosphere and all-day party circuit will have you mixing it with the rich and the famous, or at least feeling like one.

The venue is Albert Park, Melbourne, and the world’s elite racing car drivers will be lining up on the grid for a chance at the World Championship. This year sees a new generation of drivers: 21-year-old Englishman Lewis Hamilton, dubbed the Tiger Woods of racing and the first black driver on the circuit; Robert Kubica, the first Polish Formula One driver; and the young Finn, Heikki Kovalainen.

Formula One is the track where anything can happen – legends formed and champions made.

Last year, 25-year-old Fernando Alonso became Formula One’s youngest champion when he won his first series title, nudging Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa, into second and third place respectively.

When seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher announced he was done with Formula One, the Speed King did more than end 16 superb seasons of racing; he ended an era. In 2006, the 38-year-old walked away with every major record in Formula One; 91 victories, seven series titles and 68 pole positions.

As to whether we’ll see him trackside again, Schumacher has said: “I can only answer questions on whether I would return to motorsport on how I feel at the moment. And as it stands, I am not interested in returning.”

Although Schumacher will be missed, the world’s attention is now on two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso, on the McLaren team, and 27-year-old Kimi Raikkonen who leaves McLaren and replaces Schumacher in a three-year deal with Ferrari.

The pressure is not lost on Alonso. “Winning two straight series titles was very difficult. And I know that winning a third will be more difficult.”

Speed demons are in for a thrill this month as Melbourne’s grand prix races back into town

If Alonso is successful in 2007, with the eyes of the world watching him in Melbourne, he will join Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher to become the third driver in Formula One’s 58-year history to win three titles in a row.

It may surprise some to know that while Formula One World Championship only started in Melbourne in 1996, the Albert Park venue is no novice to racing. It was first used to stage the non-World Championship Australian Grand Prix in 1953 and again in 1956. The latter event was won by Stirling Moss, a pioneer in the British Formula One racing scene, who raced from 1948 to 1962.

And if you find yourself holding your breath for an inordinate amount of time while your favourite driver in your favourite car burns around the track, it will be because the Melbourne circuit is the seventh longest on the calendar. It is 5.303km, compared to the longest, which is Suzuka (Japan) at 5.807km, while the shortest is Monaco at 3.340km.

While Melbourne and in particular Albert Park’s love affair with Formula One racing was lukewarm at first, the world-class event now entertains more than 350,000 people trackside, brings AU$174 million into the Australian economy and is seen by a television audience of 100 million.

The 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix is more than just one race. Whether trackside, in the grandstand or in the corporate marquees, everyone gets blown away by the heart-thumping, adrenaline rush of squealing tires and speed.

Being keen to provide something for everyone, the 2007 FORMULA 1™ ING Australian Grand Prix also features a host of support events, keeping everyone entertained. From classy Porsche 911s cutting the air at 300km per hour in the Carrera Cup, to the bumper-crunching Ford and Holden cars mixing it up in the Cleanevent V8 Utes event, it’s hot-wheel action all the way. Then there’s the Aussie Racers event for cars designed and built in Australia and the Historic Demonstration, this year focusing on the golden era from 1957 to 1977, to fuel the already excited carnival air.

But for some, the most eagerly anticipated event is the Celebrity Challenge race. This year sees 26 drivers participating in the race. The line-up includes radio personalities Hamish Blake and Andy Lee from The Hamish & Andy Show, Getaway’s Jules Lund, sports presenter Christi Malthouse and Australian Film Industry (AFI) Award-winner Shane Jacobson, from the smash hit movie, Kenny.

The plumber with the heart of gold sums up his excitement: “With the success of the movie and now the AFI Award under my belt, this year has been life-transforming… but to race at the Grand Prix will be an experience like no other.”

This year, celebrities will drive a BMW 1 Series, capable of reaching speeds of more than 215km an hour and an engine that can take it from zero to 100km per hour in just 8.7 seconds.

If all that speed gets too much and you feel the need to chill out beneath the palms, then last year’s success story, Traction, returns in 2007. A completely new way to experience the adrenaline rush of the Grand Prix, Traction is an exclusive all-day party designed for 25 to 35 year-olds. Located at turn four –“one of the most exhilarating corners of the track” says Grand Prix CEO Tim Bamford – Traction mixes race-time testosterone with enough charm to appeal to both sexes. In fact, ladies get a substantial discount on the entry price. One of the major features at Traction this year is the band Sneaky Sound System (Pictures and I Love It) who recently supported Robbie Williams during his Australian tour. Vroom.

WORDS KERRIE THEOBALD