Stars turn out for Melbourne’s tenth 06 Mar 2005
The 10th birthday of the Foster’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park has featured plenty of excitement and plenty of famous faces so far, and that’s even before the race.
Australia always embraces the race, and the fun started earlier in the week when home hero Mark Webber took his Williams across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and here in Melbourne there have been the usual street parties and celebratory events.
Bo Derek stunned the paddock as she was escorted round by Ron Walker, chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, and there were myriad racing knights to greet her: Sir Jack Brabham, Sir Jackie Stewart (with Lady Helen) and Sir Stirling Moss (with Lady Suzie), the latter taking part in Tattersall’s display of historic racing vehicles.
Tim Schenken fulfilled his usual duties as clerk of the course, and Frank Gardner was much in evidence, the pair of them having lost none of their waspish humour. Other local stars included motorcycle champion Mick Doohan, former racers Vern Schuppan with wife Jenny, Tony Gaze and his wife Diana, singers Dannii Minogue and Olivia Newton John and Australia’s Olympic swimming hero Ian Thorpe. Adding a touch of Hollywood glamour was petrolhead Nicolas Cage
As usual there was a very high standard of support races, ranging from karts to celebrity BMW One Series cars, Formula Three, Porsche Carreras, the highly popular Qantas Supercar V8s and the Cleanevent V8 Utility cars or ‘Utes’.
