AUSGP Notebook: Saturday
We’re getting to the business end of the weekend, but plenty is still going on around the Albert Park Circuit.
Welcome to the third edition of the 2023 Notebook from the Australian Grand Prix.
Merch watch: 2023
Got cash? Not anymore!
F1 merchandise is big business – for only $400, you could dress up in a jumper that advertises the various Mercedes sponsors wherever you go.
Have you spotted something more expensive? Hit us up on the socials @theracetorque with your tip.
The Capstore
Headwear, meanwhile, has earned bespoke stores of its own.
For a crisp $100 bill, you can expect to receive $10 change to pick a design of your choosing, and there are plenty of options available.
Rainbows + KFC
A magic combination this morning, as the Audi GT3 fleet ferried punters around the track for hot laps.
Roll in the backup
It’s hard work to keep the firm ground with 120K+ punters wandering around the Park, with a constant stream of trucks rolling into the track with chip wood.
The original Albert Park track
This week here on The Race Torque, we ran the story on the original plans for motorsport at Albert Park, which took place back in the 1930s – you can check it out here.
One of the curious features of the plans was an alternate layout that ran along “Concrete Rd”, adjacent to Queens Road.
Interestingly, the road is still in place today, although not open to regular traffic, with it being used this weekend to ferry cars into the car park on the golf course.
Ponderings
If the recent Red Bull social media clip, where an RB7 was carted all the way around Australia, counted towards the team’s budget cap, how screwed would the team be?
Also, Daniel Ricciardo has a very similar physique to Liam Lawson, apparently.
Furthermore, Daniel Ricciardo was at the Red Bull Racing launch in America when the clip was shot, wasn’t he?
Anyhoo, as you were…
The gloves are off
To mitigate the chances of an electric shock from the hybrid F1 machines, marshalls around the grounds have been issued with special gloves.
Let the tin lids loose
Being a public park, there are various areas of play equipment still available for use in the general admission areas.
The absolute pick of the litter is this awesome wooden setup on the outside of the circuit near turn one.
Away from race weekends, I’ve taken my kid here, and it is a bona fide winner.
Five stars, would recommend.
Chillout
A nice touch near the family area behind Brock’s Hill is this sensory room.
The sights, sounds and the enormous crowd can be quite overwhelming – well done to the AGP on taking the initiative.
Advertising works…?
I truly don’t know if this ad for The Moon, or maybe Ralph, would convince me to go to the moon or acquire a Ralph…
The Pen
This is the TV interview pen, where drivers are corralled at scheduled times during the weekend to meet the media.
Spare parts department
At the end of the turn 11 escape road, is the circuit’s spare parts department, with emergency backups of all of the bits of race track furniture that might break during a race weekend.
Who did this to you, little Porsche??
From the Web
Our editor has off being busy week
Big
It’s kind of a big deal…
Messy
More mess
Molly: living the dream
AGP on TRT
Mark Walker (administrator)
A vastly experienced Motorsport Public Relations operator, journalist, commentator and photographer, Mark brings his unique angle to The Race Torque in both words and imagery. As well as serving as our key photographer on the ground at major events around Australia (and overseas), Walker will often chime in with his unique and pin-point sharp viewpoint of the racing world via the keyboard too.
