Grand Prix: Diary of a debutante

By DARIA IMPIOMBATO

Cars roared, crowds massed and fans cheered. It was the F1 Grand Prix, and I was making my debut as a spectator. 

At the forefront of everyone’s minds was Red Bull driver and local hopeful Daniel Ricciardo, before he stood out for all the wrong reasons.

It was Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel who claimed the victory this time, after Australian hopes were dashed when Ricciardo failed to finish the season-opening race.  

But that disappointment was still to come. Here is how my day played out as a Grand Prix debutante.

More than just a race

The Australian Grand Prix, held at a circuit around Albert Park Lake in Melbourne, is the first of 20 races in this year’s Formula One calendar.

But before the much-anticipated race began, the day kicked off with a parade.

Music began to play and within seconds the F1 drivers passed by in vintage racing cars, the  lakeside arena filling with the sound of the fans screaming at the sight of their favourites.

It didn’t take long before I became just like them. When Team Ferrari showed up, the Italian passion deep inside me took over.

It was the moment I transformed from a passive observer into a fully fledged fan of the grand world of motor vehicles and champagne, unknown to me only a few hours ago.

The parade was just the beginning. Throughout the day, military airplanes entertained spectators with incredible aerobatics, filling Albert Park arena with deafening sound and creating a fantastic atmosphere.

In fact, it was all rather overwhelming as I found myself surrounded by food trucks, car stands, and incredible masses of fans from all over the world

The race

With the roaring sound of the old F-18 jet flying overhead, I trekked closer to the track to follow the pre-race proceedings.

Reconnaissance laps, or warm-up laps for us newcomers, were underway when disaster struck.

Ricciardo’s car suddenly stopped because of an electrical fault, causing his vehicle to become stuck in sixth gear, igniting a concerned murmur from fans throughout the arena.

But hope was regained and spirits were lifted when it was announced that Ricciardo would race, only he would be joining the race from the pit lane. Not a perfect solution, but better than nothing for the Aussie fans.

With 4pm just around the corner, we prepared to witness the epic battle.

The cars were ready on the grid, with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in pole position. The hands and phones of thousands of excited F1 fans were raised to the sky.

And with that, the race was on. It was a crazy first few seconds, and I breathed a sigh of relief when no major accidents occurred.

A general admission ticket means your view of the action on the track is limited, but the loud roar of the cars spinning around the track made up for it.

Even if your interest in cars is zero, the noise would get your heart beating and adrenaline rushing.

But it wasn’t long until Ricciardo’s luck ran short again. An aura of disappointment overcame the arena following his retirement after 29 laps of the 58-lap race.

Ferrari and Mercedes were then left to battle it out for the title.

The race soon heated up with a crazy over-take by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen. Hamilton was chasing, but the incredible speed set by Vettel was yet to be rivalled.

After the pit stops, Vettel gained a stable lead. With every lap, the excited crowd waved and cheered for the champion, the enthusiasm growing until the final lap.

Enjoying every inch of the track, Vettel claimed first place followed by the two Mercedes, Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, who finished second and third respectively. Fellow Ferrari driver Raikkonen secured fourth place.

A huge round of applause for Vettel warmed up the already hot day. But it was the final ceremony that was particularly touching for me as an Italian expat in Australia.

After the German anthem was played in honour of Vettel’s country of origin, the Italian anthem took over and Scuderia Ferrari sang it with enthusiasm and excitement.

Formula One was a sport I had wrongly underestimated.

I never imagined cars could unite people so significantly and create such a joyful atmosphere quite like they did at the 2017 Australian Grand Prix.