Oscar Piastri backs calls for Melbourne to permanently launch Formula One season

Hometown hero Oscar Piastri has led a chorus of calls for Melbourne to reclaim its permanent status as the opening race of the Formula One season, as big crowds flock to Albert Park.

Hometown hero Oscar Piastri has led a chorus of calls for Melbourne to reclaim its permanent status as the opening race of the Formula One season.

It comes as F1 sources told the Herald Sun that Melbourne was in the driver’s seat to host the season opener again next year, as one of four pole position starts to the calendar guaranteed under its contract running until 2037.

Big crowds packed the opening day of the Grand Prix on Thursday, with fans paying $490 for a Ferrari jacket, $95 for a Piastri hat and $120 for the latest Ferrari cap bearing new driver Lewis Hamilton’s name and race number.

With Saturday and Sunday sold out, bigger crowds are expected on Friday when F1 cars hit the track for the first time.

It will be the first time since 2019 Melbourne has launched the F1 season, despite Albert Park owning that status for 23 years after hijacking the race from Adelaide in 1996. Last year, Bahrain hosted the season opener, with Melbourne bumped to round 3.

Oscar Piastri meets fans at Albert Park. Picture: David Caird

In an exclusive interview, Piastri told the Herald Sun the travelling circus should start in Melbourne annually.

“For me as a kid, I grew up with Melbourne being the first round,” he said.

“I’m super happy that it’s back as the season opener and I think a lot of people in the paddock are excited for that as well.

“Because it is how it was for a long time and I think it gives everyone the opportunity to spend a bit more time in Australia, which everyone loves.

“So I’m excited to have it as the opener, it gives it that little bit more atmosphere and excitement.”

Fellow Aussie F1 ace Jack Doohan agreed: “It’s great to start off in Australia. It’s the longest running starting round to the season so it’s very cool and I’d like to see it like this for many more years.”

Jack Doohan backed calls for Melbourne to permanently launch the F1 season. Picture: Mark Sutton

F1 identity and former Haas principal Gunther Steiner said Melbourne was the perfect place to launch the season.

“I like Melbourne and I will always remember what I will call those old days when Melbourne was the first race,” he said.

“Everybody got there early and hopes were high, the fans were welcoming and the weather normally pretty good.

“It was always a good feeling to be back there to start the season.

‘To be the first race, you are full of energy … and it’s a good race, so I think it’s a cool thing that it’s back to the first race.

“I would be happy for it to be the first race every year, absolutely.

“Because it was the first for a long time, you almost got used to that Melbourne was the first race.”

Aston Martin chief and team principal Andy Cowell said: “There is something magical about creating cars in Europe and then flying all the way around the planet and coming to such a welcoming, lovely venue as Melbourne.”

Crowds at Albert Park last year. Picture: Jason Edwards

But Australian Grand Prix chairman Martin Pakula said more grands prix on the calendar – including in Gulf States which observed the Ramadan religious period – made it tough for Melbourne to launch the season every year.

“It will depend on how the calendar falls and whether they need to be earlier or they can afford to be a little bit later,” he said.

“We’ve got a contract now that guarantees us some opening races but we will always be in the first three.

“But we won’t be the first race every year but we will be early in the season.”

The timing of Ramadan next year from February 17 to March 18 has put Melbourne in pole position for next year’s first race, ahead of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Daniel Ricciardo at last year’s Melbourne Grand Prix. Picture: Robert Cianflone

Mr Pakula said Melbourne had “a commitment to a number of first races and a commitment to always being race one, two or three.”

“Formula One always has the ultimate say over the calendar … but we are very comfortable that, whether we are race one, two or three, it’s always an extraordinary event,” he said.

It comes as many hotels in the city are sold out for the weekend, with occupancy for Saturday at 94 per cent – 15 per cent higher than last year.

Across the four days of the event occupancy is at 91 per cent according to STR data to March 10 but is tipped to rise even higher, likely to record levels.

Across Marriott Bonvoy’s 10 Melbourne hotels, occupancy is up 8 per cent year-on-year, Saturday of race weekend is a citywide sellout and the same is expected for Friday night.

Marriott Australia, New Zealand and Pacific vice president Jason Nuell said: “The majority of growth is driven through international travel, with the largest proportion of our guests

coming from the USA.

“International room nights increased 25 per cent year on year to almost half of all

stays.”