Zara and Mike Tindall, and actor Rachel Griffiths, among the crowd on day 3 of VALO Adelaide 500
Hollywood royalty joined the British variety enjoying the action on and off track as thousands braved fierce heat to flock to the third day of the Adelaide 500.
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Regal revheads Zara and Mike Tindall have raved about their first visit to SA as Hollywood royalty joined them trackside for the third day of the VALO Adelaide 500.
Motor racing fans and guests – including the niece of King Charles III, Zara Tindall and her husband, Mike and Australian actor Rachel Griffiths – were among the thousands who braved piercing 33-degree heat to revel in the event and watch their favourite drivers in action.
The Tindalls, fresh off a Facetime call with their three children in the UK, said they’d had a “brilliant” trip so far.
Michael, a former rugby union star, who was already in Australia filming for the UK version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, said he was looking forward to the race.
“The fans are proper fanatical,” he said. “We go to a lot of F1 but we haven’t been to a lot of V8s … it’s a bit more close; bit of tapping, nudging, friendly bumping – you don’t get that in F1, it’s all etiquette.”
The pair, who met at a Sydney bar in 2003, said they enjoyed dining at Port Willunga’s Star of Greece restaurant on Friday before wine tasting at the d’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale, and attending a State Dinner in the evening.
“The food was incredible,” Zara said of their lunch at Star of Greece.
Michael added that the water at Port Willunga beach looked “amazing”.
“I just wished I’d had my budgies with me!” he said.
While they didn’t get to meet zany McLaren Vale winemaker and d’Arenberg Cube mastermind, Chester Osborn, they got the full experience at the popular tourist attraction.
“It’s like you’ve drunk a lot of wine when you’re in there,” Michael said, with Zara adding: “It’s his chocolate factory.”
Zara, an equestrian and Olympian, was dressed in a Paolo Sebastian gown for Friday night’s dinner.
“I was so lucky,” she said. “His dresses are absolutely incredible. He’s so clever and he’s such a nice guy. I hope in the future we can do another collaboration because he was great.”
After Saturday’s race, the pair will go to Hills’ winery Bird in Hand, along with actor Griffiths.
Zara, who is an Olympic equestrian, said Australia offered a “great lifestyle” that keeps them coming back.
“We’ve got great mates out here, and the sports brings us out as well, from our backgrounds (in sport) and Australia is such a sporting nation,” said Zara.
For Six Feet Under and Muriel’s Wedding star, Rachel Griffiths, getting trackside with her brother, Sam, was a chance to rekindle their love of cars.
“In our 20s we were both seriously into souping up our vintage cars; I had an XP Falcon and he had a ’68 Valiant,” Griffiths, 53, said.
“He’d always be sourcing me the part that I couldn’t find, so it’s something we’ve shared.
“My other brother is based in Adelaide, too, and with all the borders (having been) closed, tonight is going to be the first time the three of us have been together since the pandemic began. It’s going to be really special. I think that’s what these events are all about – bringing people together.
“Adelaide does these events that take over the whole city and you just feel the energy. And I feel like there is something for everyone – to me that’s a sign of a city that has got real cultural capital.”
The return of the Adelaide 500 – which the previous government canned after 2020 – marks the end of an era for Holden, which will be replaced by GM Chevrolet Camaro’s new Gen3 cars in 2023.
Staunch Holden fan Bryson Schultz, 52, was upbeat about the change, as he collected racers’
signatures for his Holden branded flag.
“We say it’s the last race for Holden. It will be the last race for V8 supercars, but when you look at Touring Car Masters and they’ve got 1970-something Toranas out still belting around, the name’s not going anywhere,” the Hackham West man said.
“When it’s on next year I’ll be back again.”
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