High-octane star power revs up Melbourne’s Formula One Grand Prix

Was the Albert Park F1 track big enough for the combined star power of Kylie Minogue and former federal treasurer Joe Hockey? Organisers weren’t certain.

Joe Hockey looks on in the Paddock before the start of the F1 Grand Prix. Picture: Getty Images

Race organisers were holding their breath.

And it wasn’t just the chaos and carnage of the stop-start Australian Grand Prix as a Ferrari, two Alpines and a Mercedes were bumped out of the race just as quickly as it was restarted.

The question was whether the Albert Park track was big enough for the combined star power of Kylie Minogue and former Washington ambassador Joe Hockey being at the same venue.

Hockey for his part was oblivious to the fuss going on around him, saying he was a Formula One fan before the Netflix series catapulted the sport into the stratosphere.

“I’ve been to Monte Carlo and Austin and a range of others and Melbourne is a shining light,” Hockey told The Australian. “This race is a great tribute to the city.”

It’s a strange sport where middle-aged men can go weak at the knees at the sight of an F1 driver. And there were plenty of both at Albert Park’s Paddock Club.

Billionaire and Australian Grand Prix Corp chairman Paul Little – who is as tough as they come after a career building up the Toll transport empire – was hanging off every word of

Kylie Minogue poses for a photo with Red Bull Racing Team principal Christian Horner. Picture: Getty Images

McLaren’s rookie Australian driver Oscar Piastri before the big race.

Little says there is more to the Grand Prix’s success than the Netflix series Drive To Survive.

“We think we’ve done a lot of things to keep us right at the cutting edge of growing the race. We really believe we put on an amazing race this year,” the Little said.

Newly promoted Shell Australia chairman Tony Nunan, Chevron Australia managing director Mark Hatfield and Seven Group chief operating officer James Goth were loitering out the back of the Ferrari garage, hoping for even a glimpse of driver Carlos Sainz. Even with Shell paying some of the bills there was still a moment of excitement from Nunan when he got the green light to meet the star. “My team is going in!” he exclaimed.

Nunan will have a chance to make it trackside more often after last week being named to take on a top role in London, reporting to global Shell chief executive Wael Sawan.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation chair Paul Little, Victorian Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos and Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief Andrew Westacott. Picture: Getty Images

But it was Little’s F1 tent which was the place to be, hosting Victorian Governor Linda Dessau and Victorian Tourism and Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos. A string of racing team bosses including Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer also made the pilgrimage and Melbourne’s other lord mayor, Eddie McGuire, was keeping close.

Surfing champion was a face in the crowd. Picture: Getty Images

Over at the Optus high octane rooftop at the pit exit, the telco’s chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin was talking tactics with the world’s most famous reserve driver – Red Bull’s Daniel Riccardio. Also in the Optus tent was Gladys Berejiklian, the former NSW premier turned telco executive. Talk from her table remained firmly focused on the track.

Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany was checking his broadcast, noting the stop-start and the rain on Saturday added to a higher-octane race on the screen. “It is a very well run event. Melbourne does a fantastic job,” Delany said.

Shell Australia chair Tony Nunan.

As luckless Haas team boss and Netflix cult star Guenther Steiner wove through the crowd but couldn’t get far before being mobbed for pictures. When told he was more popular than the drivers, the Italian gave a broad smile. “I know it’s crazy,” Steiner told The Australian as he was stopped again – this time by a young family for yet another selfie.

Paul Little with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Picture: Eric Johnston

Optus chief Kelly Bayer Rosmarin chats with Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo.

The well-connected Hockey, the founder of consultancy Bondi Partners, is a powerful advocate of Australian Grand Prix. Hockey is a friend of current global F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali. He said the US was on the cusp of becoming a fully fledged F1 market, with Miami showing what could be done, and a new race in Las Vegas later this year “will be the biggest race yet”. This will be competition for Melbourne, although it has the race for another 15 years.

With the weekend loss of the long-held Liberal seat of Aston in Melbourne’s outer east, the former treasurer conceded the game was getting more complex than a win on the track. “The one thing about politics now – more than ever – it’s unpredictable,” Hockey said.