Fans flock to Albert Park for first day of Melbourne Grand Prix 2025 practice sessions
The Australian Grand Prix is on track to shatter attendance numbers after a record number of fans poured into Albert Park, while footy and fashion stars revved up the glamour on the first day of practice sessions.
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The Australian Grand Prix is on track to shatter attendance numbers after a record 125,548 fans poured into Albert Park for Friday’s practice sessions.
Friday’s attendance record overtook last year’s corresponding crowd by an extra 1435 F1 fans, which also broke records in 2024.
Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld said Friday’s crowd was enormous and hoped to top that figure over the weekend.
“The interest and excitement around the Formula 1 in Australia is at an all-time high, and we’re seeing that reflected in the incredible energy at Albert Park over the last two days,” he said.
“We’re expecting huge crowd numbers over the weekend, and with warm temperatures expected tomorrow, we ask fans to take care and come prepared.”
He said while hometown hero Oscar Piastri was already a crowd favourite, the popularity of up-and-comer Jack Doohan was soaring.
“Jack Doohan is also capturing attention of fans, with many excited to see his first home race in Formula 1,” he added.
Doohan’s mum Selina Sines was feeling the nerves as fans descended on Albert Park on Friday for the first practice sessions of the Melbourne Grand Prix.
Looking chic with her daughter Allexis on her side, Selina told the Herald Sun she was too nervy to hang out in pit lane with her husband Mick Doohan, son Jack and the Alpine team.
“It’s super exciting but I’m super nervous to be honest,” Sines said opting to hang out in the swish Mercedes-AMG Lounge instead.
“I used to get nervous when Jack was in F2 and F3 but this is a whole other level. It’s a lot. I feel like I’m more nervous than him.
“It’s good for us to support him and be there for him even if he doesn’t see us, but I think I make things more nervous if I’m there,” she laughed, albeit through gritted teeth.”
Sister Allexis said her world champion driver father used to joke she was the better karter.
“When we were younger I used to ride dirt bikes and me and Jack got our first kart together, Dad still jokes that I was better than Jack,” she laughs.
“I love the fast cars but we are all here for Jack.”
The F1 cars were racing around the track but it was anything but for the shuttle buses heading into the corporate marquees. The glitterati and powerbrokers who have paid a pretty penny for exclusive access and viewing inside the paddock club found themselves waiting for hours to get inside the track with one overhead exclaiming “we should have just got a general pass with all the civilians.” Many were huddled in like sheep as walkways were closed off and security telling the walking would take up to an hour to get into the plush paddock area over. The drama!
It was anything but over at turns 9 and 10 for the fastest position on the track at the exclusive Mercedes-AMG lounge.
The luxury car maker abandoned its annual ladies lunch three years ago with the uptake of females revving into the action thanks to reality series Drive To Survive.
Instead they were all trackside, with Friday’s swanky lounge looking more like the ultimate date day for our power couples.
Fresh from an epic win against the Blue baggers the night before, Richmond’s Nathan Broad was jumping out of his skin with excitement with glamorous wife Tayla by his side looking stylish in all white Viktoria & Woods.
“It was like a final in the rooms,” he said broadly smiling from ear to ear.
The AFL heavyweights including Nathan Buckley and Brodie Ryan, Jessie and Marc Murphy, Barb and Paul Licuria, Matthew and Lisa Lloyd were all putting pedal to medal.
The glamour and fashion has certainly changed gear with the influx of females to the big race.
Gone are the bogan looks or head to toe merch, in favour of chic tailored looks in neutrals and black and whites.
Double denim ensembles from Seven’s Jane Bunn in Kivari and Hannah Dal Sasso were taking over the gridside style, with designer Effie Kats saying she raided her husband James Cerolini wardrobe.
The accelerator is well and truly pushed down!
Bec throws her support behind Oscar from Brighton
Bec Judd is ready for a big weekend of Grand Prix action with her loudest cheers reserved for Oscar from Brighton.
“I just love this week and look forward to it so much,’’ Judd said.
“It’s always such a great buzz, no one does events like Melbourne and what a great place to be.
“I’m going for the Aussies, Oscar Piastri and there’s that real local connection. He’s Oscar from Brighton, I’ve got an Oscar from Brighton, they went to the same school... it’s epic.”
Judd visited the Grand Prix FanZone along the Crown Riverwalk, featuring F1 racing simulators, giant screens to watch the action, and official merchandise stalls.
An atrium activation includes a virtual reality pit stop experience and a full-size Crown F1 car display.
“I’m going (to the GP) Saturday and Sunday and I think (Glamour on the Grid) is probably the biggest red carpet in Australia,’’ Judd said.
“One of the hottest invites, I just love it’s so unique that we have this amazing red carpet event in pit lane at the Grand Prix. Having Albert Park as the backdrop is insane. Everyone wants to go, it’s a vibe.
“In terms of international drivers Max Verstappen is my favourite, I just love how competitive he is and I respect that about it.”
Sun, speed and a sea of orange
Grand Prix hopeful Oscar Piastri is the talk of the town among the tens of thousands of fans at Albert Park on Friday.
Event organisers will be hoping to crush previous crowd records for both Friday’s practice sessions and total attendance across the weekend.
They will be pleased with the sea of orange streaming into Albert Park — ready to cheer on hometown hero Piastri — which looks set to nudge the previous crowd record of over 450,000 across the four days.
A huge line of fans waited eagerly to catch a glimpse of the Brighton East local heading to the track for Friday’s practice session, cheering and waving as he was escorted through.
First-time attendees Jess and Lily, who have flown down from Newcastle for the four days, said they were hoping for a Piastri win on Sunday.
They said it was their first time travelling to Melbourne in more than a decade and were taken aback by the city and Grand Prix event.
“It’s so much better than Sydney,” they said, simultaneously.
“We’ve been walking around, even driving here, it’s so much better,” Jess said.
“I’m thinking Lando will win, but I want it to be Oscar.”
Melbourne local Rob Hamburger, 60, is also attending his first Grand Prix, drawn into the event after watching the popular Netflix series documenting the sport.
He said he plans to remain at the bar to keep cool with the expected top of 27C forecast for Friday.
“It’s my first time here, food and drink every day, I feel like a kid,” he said.
“Oscar’s going to win. I think so. As long as he gets pole on Saturday, then in the wet, it’s anyone’s game. He’s got to beat Lando, that’s all.
“I’ve always followed F1 in the background, but of course that Netflix show, it really sucked me in, big time.”
Sisters Tiffany and Jess Gonzalez, who have travelled overseas for other Grands Prix, said Melbourne was the pinnacle of Formula One.
“This is our third time in Melbourne (at the Grand Prix), but we’ve been to five altogether, Jess said.
“Melbourne is the nicest one. We did one in Canada and that was a bit gross. Abu Dhabi was a bit difficult to get around, so this one is probably the best.”
Melbourne local Matt Patti said his first time at his local Grand Prix was already paying dividends.
“It’s my first time here, I’ve lived in Melbourne for my whole life and I’ve never been, so I just wanted to experience the day,” he said.
“It’s awesome, they’ll be ripping days, it’s fantastic.”
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