Formula One Australian Grand Prix 2024 hits exciting attendance milestone

Friday of next week’s Grand Prix has sold out for the first time ever, with booming ticket sales also achieving another major milestone for the event.

Revved up Formula One fans are set to sell out three days of the Melbourne Grand Prix for the first time.

In a move set to push Melbourne attendance records to new levels, Friday of next week’s Albert Park Grand Prix will sell out for the first time in the event’s history.

Amid unprecedented demand to see the likes of world champion Max Verstappen and Aussie F1 ace Oscar Piastri race, tickets to Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the major event will be exhausted.

It means anyone wanting to experience the event will need to buy tickets to Thursday’s opening session, which is also tipped to attract big crowds.

Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld said only a small number of Friday tickets, which give fans first glimpse of F1 cars on the circuit, remained but were likely to be snapped up in coming days.

This year’s Formula One Melbourne Grand Prix is set to sell out three days for the first time. Picture: Robert Cianflone.

“Essentially most tickets are sold, a majority of the tickets sold out within a day of going on sale back in August, which is extraordinary,’’ he said.

An estimated record Melbourne crowd of 444,631 attended the four days of last year’s event, with Saturday and Sunday sold out.

But with all Friday passes expected to be snapped up, Mr Auld said a new Albert Park crowd record beckoned.

“Because people are buying tickets and the show up rates are high, it’s not like footy where you are relying on members to show up,’’ he said.

“And so we’ve sold enough tickets to beat last year’s record, assuming they all turn up.

“We’re feeling pretty confident.’’

He said the fact there would be two Aussies drivers on the grid for the first time since 2013 — young gun Piastri and veteran Daniel Ricciardo — was a driving force behind the ticket rush.

“It certainly makes life easier when you’ve got two drivers on the grid and so there is added fan interest,’’ he said.

This will be the first time since 2013 that two Aussie drivers, including Daniel Ricciardo, will be on the grid. Picture: Quinn Rooney.

Superfans keen to catch a glimpse of new McLaren driver Oscar Piastri will have to attend on Thursday. Picture: David Caird

“There are fans who have their teams and their drivers certainly the more casual fan adopt the Aussie drivers really quickly and they are not just making up the numbers.’’

Ricciardo finished second in the 2014 Melbourne Grand Prix, only to be disqualified and stripped off the podium finish for breaching fuel consumption rules.

Mr Auld said last year’s F1 rookie of the year Piastri would flag for the flag for Australia and have a huge contingent of fans cheering for him in his hometown race.

“There is huge expectation and we’ve never had a driver on the podium before and so who knows?’’ he said.

“He might be the one who gets to stand up there and that would be a hell of a moment.’’

The F1 circus will arrive in Melbourne with gusto from Sunday when the cars arrive at Albert Park.

Drivers will also start arriving in town this weekend, ahead of a series of promotional activities ahead of the event from March 21-24.