Bingle Free Grand Prix

Last weekend the Formula 1 Grand Prix came to Melbourne.  The track is about 3km from our house, so we enjoyed a couple of days of crazy race traffic, hearing the cars testing at 7am, and just plain craziness around the `hood.  Kind of like our days of living in K`napp.  Only, there is not a huge statue of Dale Earnhardt minutes from us.

The track with the city in the background.

In addition to the Formula 1, there was also a V8 Supercars race at the same track, so I went on Sunday to entertain customers and Jeff decided to forego the luxury corporate suite in favor of partaking in the atmosphere, drinking Bundy, and hanging out with mates.

See the IRWIN Tools Ford on the upper right?!

They do a full-day of racing and events.  There were Red Bull drift cars, old-school V8 Supercars, old-school Formula 1 cars, and others racing throughout the day.  There were also aerial stunt planes, F-18s (debate if there was one or two F-18s), and a LOW fly-over of a Qantas 747.  The 747 was pretty impressive - based on how he was driving, fairly certain that there weren't passengers onboard.  He pulled some tight turns, but unfortunately no barrel-roll.

Arial Stunt Planes.  We saw them on Saturday when we
were walking around.  No one else seemed to think it was
different that there were planes doing loopdeeloops.

One of the F-18s.

Qantas 747.  LOW.

The most exciting thing that we saw was a lap competition between a Mercedes AMG, a V8 Supercar, and a Formula 1 car.  The track is about 5.3k, and the Mercedes started first with about a 40 second head start, then the V8 Supercar went out with a 40 second headstart, then the Formula 1 car....the Formula 1 car passed both in the back stretch, and the V8 Supercar passed the Mercedes right before the finish line.  It was pretty cool to watch.  They go FAST!

V8, F-1, AMG

In addition to our corporate guests in our suite, we were also 'blessed' to have the bad-boy of Aussie Rules Football grace us.  He has been kicked out of at least two football clubs for acting like a goon, and is currently on Dancing with the Stars, Australia.  He's a bone-head.  He asked my boss (whose wife was in attendance) if he wanted to go to a club to pick-up chicks.

"Fev" and Nick

All in all, it was a great day at the track - our car came in 7th (yay!).  The Formula 1 race was pretty boring - little passing, and no bingles.

Black swans love the Grand Prix.  They don't even have to
have tickets.

Michael Shumacher's parade car.  An apparent Formula
One legend, on-hand for the race.

Bundaberg tent.  Bundy is an Aussie Rum that EVEYRONE
drinks.  Haven't figured out why people drink it, yet.

Jeff's mate, Matt with the Bundy Bear.
Matt loves Bundy.  He's an Aussie.

Jeff says the IRWIN car is in this picture, but I can't find it.
It's like one of those photo hunt games.

LOUD.

Fomula 1 Cars from the suite.  We were at turns 15 and 16.
Not some puny NASCAR track with 4 turns.  :)

People jump on the track, even though they make
announcements and post signs that you can't be on the track
at any point in time.  Also, the track is accessible to the public
every other day.  You can drive your car around it at 40kph.