Before Rich and I set off on our travels we had one date in the diary that we knew would be a very special event. We had arranged to meet up with Rich’s parents, Maria and Maurice, in Melbourne to go to the Formula One Grand Prix!
All of us have watched Formula One for years and it’s fair to say we are all fans. I remember when I was very young watching the Formula One with my Dad. The races seemed to last for hours and I remember sometimes watching the start of the race, having a little nap and then waking up for the finish. I tend not to nap through races these days, only when the races are really boring!
We spent four days in total at Albert Park, Thursday through to Sunday, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying everything on offer in the build up to the first race of 2015.
Our first day involved getting our bearings. We walked around the entire park and took part in some of the challenges laid on around the grounds like the oil pumping challenge and the pit stop tyre change challenge!
We took in the views from the Paddock Club viewing area, located right above the pit lane and caught sight of real life racing drivers at the Autograph Stage.
Unlike some, we didn’t sit in a queue all day to get the autographs of one or two of the drivers. Instead we enjoyed cold drinks of beer, cider and wine in the sunshine before heading over to the stage to see Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Rosberg, Daniil Kvyat and Lewis Hamilton being interviewed for GP TV.
Albert Park is a great location for the Formula One and we thoroughly enjoyed the day checking out all that was on offer. The views of the city across the lake were fantastic and even with fewer people there than on the race weekend ahead, the atmosphere at the park was buzzing with excitement.
On our second day at the races we enjoyed a relaxing morning in Melbourne before heading to Albert Park in the afternoon.
We saw the historic cars to be used during the drivers parade on the Sunday, enjoyed a drink in the cocktail bar garden area and watched the V8 cars roaring around the race track as well as second practice for the Formula One cars.
The crowds were growing in number and we knew that it would be even busier during the next two days. Seeing the race cars out on track was very exciting and we were really looking forward to seeing more of them in action during qualifying the next day.
Qualifying was the order of the day on Saturday but there was still lots to do and see at Albert Park too.
Rich and Maurice bought themselves Ferrari and Mercedes team t-shirts respectively and after watching qualifying we headed to the cocktail bar for a well earned ice cold drink in the sunshine!
When the alarm went off at half past six on Sunday morning I remember feeling very very tired. Nothing was going to stop us from missing out on the early morning track walk though, so Rich and I got ready and headed off to meet Maria and Maurice to catch the tram to Albert Park.
We arrived at Gate Ten at eight o’clock, first in the queue for entry which Rich was of course thrilled with. With both Rich and Maurice wearing their purchases from the day before we looked the part and were keen to get through the gates.
The track walk was a really popular attraction on race day and when the gates opened we headed straight for the track walk queue. We’d spent one and a half hours queueing already for the day and were delighted when half past nine arrived and we were allowed onto the race track!
We walked down the main straight, were able to see the pits on the right hand side, the grandstand seats on the left hand side, the grid markings and the finish line beneath our feet and and the first corner straight ahead of us.
It was amazing to be on the track where the action would unfold later that day!
After the track walk we headed round to the Melbourne Walk, no queueing or walking was required here, not for us anyway. The Melbourne Walk was where the race teams entered the paddock area so all we had to do was wait for them to arrive.
One by one the teams started to arrive and then the famous faces that I’ve seen on television so many times started to appear. We had managed to squeeze into a couple of gaps along the barrier which meant two things. Maria was in prime position to get her race programme signed and I was in prime position to ask for photos!
Both Maria and I had great success with the autographs and photos. It was certainly worth waiting around in the chilly shade to see so many of the drivers up close.
After our success at the Melbourne Walk we enjoyed a warming cup of coffee and a banana and chocolate crepe! We watched the last of the V8 super car races and enjoyed a picnic lunch before taking our seats in the Senna grandstand.
The pre race entertainment was great with the RAAF Roulettes air display, an F18 fighter jet flyover and a Quantas flyover too. The drivers parade gave us our final glimpse of them before they settled down into their cars and as we listened to the marching band and national anthem being played we knew the time was almost upon us.
One reconnaissance lap later and the drivers were lined up on the grid. This was it. It was race time!
Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos during the race, I was far too busy listening to the race radio, watching the track and the big screen!
Unlike sitting at home watching the race as a child, the race flew by really quickly and before we knew it the chequered flag was waving Lewis Hamilton in as race winner, closely followed by Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel.
We headed down onto the race track towards the podium to watch the presentation ceremony and obligatory spraying of the champagne. Rather unexpectedly we saw Arnold Schwarzenegger interview the drivers on the podium too!
With the sun setting over Albert Park we were thrilled with the show put on for us. Not only during the race but the whole four days of entertainment at Albert Park were incredible.
It’s needless to say but going to the Australian Formula One Grand Prix was a real highlight of our travels. Not only that but we got to share the experience with Rich’s parents, memories that we are very lucky to have and will treasure forever.
Lambs on the loose 