Formula One heroes Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan to greet fans at Melbourne Park live site next week

Australian Formula One drivers Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan will headline a Grand Prix fan live site at Melbourne Park next week, as the duo prepare to compete for glory on home soil.

Aussie Formula One heroes Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan will headline an Australian Grand Prix fan live site at Melbourne Park next week.

Melbourne born and bred Piastri and F1 debutante Doohan will take to the stage and greet fans at the free F1 Melbourne Fan Festival on Wednesday.

The duo will attend the opening day of the Fan Festival at Melbourne Park Oval from 3pm.

They will participate in a question-and-answer session on the main stage, kicking off four days of action at the site operating for the first time to rev up F1 fever in Melbourne and accommodate fans without a ticket to the main event.

Piastri told the Herald Sun having green and gold and the Australian flag flying while he competed for glory on home soil meant the world to him.

“I’m excited to get back and it’s always a nice boost to have the home crowd,” he said.

Oscar Piastri signs autographs at last year’s Australian Grand Prix. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The McLaren star also had some friendly advice for Alpine driver Doohan – the son of Aussie motorcycle legend Mick – as he prepares to race for the first time at his home Grand Prix.

“I think for him the biggest thing is to try and enjoy it and take every opportunity,” he said.

“I’m sure he will do well and just hope that he has a good weekend.”

The appearance of Piastri and Doohan at the fan site offers fans an exclusive opportunity to hear from the drivers ahead of the season opening Grand Prix.

Supercars drivers and Dakar Rally Winner Daniel “Chucky” Sanders will be among others appearing at the site.

Australian Grand Prix chief Travis Auld said: “The appearance of Oscar and Jack offers fans a free and exclusive opportunity to hear from the drivers ahead of their home race, something usually reserved for ticket holders attending the Grand Prix at Albert Park.”

Jack Doohan will make his full-time Formula 1 debut for Alpine at the Australian Grand Prix. Photo: Alpine

Fans will be able to see an F1 car up close, access a gaming lounge and pose for virtual driver selfies as part of the activation.

And there will be food and drink outlets and unique F1 experiences such as a “Blast Lane” which recreates the sensation of putting car through its paces in a wind tunnel.

Official F1 Fan Festivals have previously been staged in conjunction with the Las Vegas, Spanish, Italian and Japanese Grands Prix.

But it will be the first time one has been staged for the Australian Grand Prix, with two screens 6.6m wide and 3.5m tall showing the live action.

Tickets to Saturday’s F1 qualifying session at Albert Park and Sunday’s race have already sold out.

Tickets for next Sunday’s race have sold out. Picture: Robert Cianflone

It means the only way anyone without a ticket to those days can see an F1 speed machine next week will be to buy a pass for Friday’s practice sessions.

But the sold out weekend of action trackside is expected to make the inaugural live site a popular viewing option.

Mr Auld said it would extend “the excitement of race week from the track to Melbourne Park Oval”.

Another fan site will run at Federation Square to celebrate the Williams Racing team, featuring Q and A sessions with driver Carlos Sainz, Academy talent Luke Browning and team principal James Vowles and Esports simulators.