For four days every March when the autumn temperature is most pleasant, the Formula 1 Grand Prix - synonymous to glamour, cutting-edge technology and meticulous teamwork - is celebrated at Albert Park, Melbourne.
An impossible-to-miss event, the Grand Prix is the most important race in Australia, and the City of Melbourne offers every visitor an assortment of cultural and entertainment events.
2010 marks the return of the acclaimed German pilot Michael Schumacher to the Australian Grand Prix.
During this event, around Melbourne one can feel a very special enthusiasm, quite different than during the Australian Open or the Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse.
Albert Park - a peaceful recreational area where people go to breathe fresh air, practice a number of sports, go sailing or take a walk with their dogs during the rest of the year – is transformed into a breathtaking race circuit where Formula 1 cars speed up to 300 km/hr. All along the 5.3 km circuit around a manmade lake, the containments and the tribunes are placed. Special lighting are also needed as the race starts at 5pm and goes on until late at night.
During the races, many residential apartments located close to the track are rented so that people can see the race from the comfort of a terrace, and the noise of the engines can be listened within a 10km. perimeter (from afar, the sound resembles a mosquito buzz), and clearly the most affected residents of Albert Park are the Australian black swans.
In Melbourne’s CBD, many tourists make the best of the event to visit the city and one can them in bars and cafes as well as doing their shopping in the commercial district, always creating a good atmosphere along the streets.
But the Formula 1 is not the only race at Albert Park. During the event there’s also the Supercars V8 race (in which Ford competes against the Australian brand Holden) and the Formula 5000 race. In addition, there are assorted car exhibitions around the track, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lotus and Mini.
As for culture and entertainment events, the Grand Prix organizes concerts of legendary Rock bands and bar at the ‘Pit Straight’.
For those visitors also looking for quiet moments and the good life, at Carlton Gardens one can visit the International Flower and Garden Show next to the CBD.
Other festivals around Melbourne include the L’Oreal Fashion Festival and the Food and Wine Festival, which guest of honour in 2010 is the popular English Chef Jamie Oliver, who owns the restaurant ‘Fifteen' on Collins Street.
For those visitors who fancy a good laugh, the International Comedy Festival is carried out every end on March until mid-April at Melbourne’s best theatres and venues.
For more information about the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park please check the blog Called `Melbourne, city of sports (Part 2).
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