2013 AnnuAl RepoRt - Australian Grand Prix

The inaugural Grand Prix Breakfast featured a star-studded line-up of guest appearancesfrom motorsport legends and drivers together with insights into the world of Formula 1 ® . TheBreakfast treated almost 1000 guests to a morning of first-class hospitality and entertainment.Motorsport fans, corporate clients and VIPs were hosted at the Crown Palladium Ballroom -one of Melbourne’s premier venues.The breakfast event was broadcast live on national free-to-air television by Network Tenreaching over 522,000 Australian viewers according to OZTAM data from 8am to 11am onSaturday 16 March. The event raised funds through silent and live auctions for the AustralianMotor Sport Foundation, Official Charity of the 2013 Formula 1 ® Rolex Australian Grand Prix.Race ReviewWith a new, world-class naming rights sponsor in Rolex, a buoyant pre-event campaign anda keenly anticipated Formula One season in store, Melbourne was in superb shape to hostthe first event of the World Championship’s 64th season.Albert Park also looked a picture as it turned the clock back 60 years to the weekend in 1953when Melbourne first played host to the Australian Grand Prix. A striking display of many ofthe cars from that first race attracted large numbers of people to the Historic Paddock at theheart of the circuit over event weekend.Squalls of rain and strong winds played havoc with the vital first qualifying hour of the newseason on Saturday afternoon, but when the session was completed on a busy Sunday it wasthe familiar face of Sebastian Vettel that beamed at the world’s F1 photographers again.Red Bull’s young World Champion claimed his third pole position in Melbourne in the last fourseasons and the 37th of his career, but Australian spirits were raised when Mark Webber did asterling job to qualify on the front row alongside his German teammate.At the start of a season in which the driver pairings within the top teams would be underintense scrutiny, Lewis Hamilton got the better of Nico Rosberg to take third position on thegrid in his first outing for Mercedes. Brazilian Felipe Massa confirmed his own return to form byout-qualifying Ferrari partner Fernando Alonso.Still seeking his elusive first home victory, Webber had emphasised how hard it would bebefore the weekend even began. “We’ve got to put together a clean weekend and makeall the right decisions,” he said. “We’re capable of it but we’re also mindful that it’s a verytricky weekend to execute, especially being the first race.”The first five seconds of the race underlined that fact: once again Webber dwelt on the line,hampered by a technical glitch for which McLaren, suppliers of the engine control unit, laterapologized. Swamped at the start, Webber fought back but could only finish sixth.Up front a familiar tale was unfolding. Unlike Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raïkkönen is makinga real fist of his F1 return. It was ‘The Iceman’ whose Lotus Renault powered home ahead ofAlonso’s Ferrari, with pole-sitter Vettel unable to match their pace and coming home third.There was further disappointment for local fans when Dan Ricciardo’s Toro Rosso Ferrari wasone of the four non-finishers, but the day belonged to the 33-year-old Raïkkönen as heclaimed a 20th career victory.Another outstanding support race program saw New Zealand drivers leave Albert Park withthe lion’s share of the spoils. Fabian Coulthard recorded his maiden pole position in the MSSSecurity V8 Supercars Challenge, and then won the first two of the four races. He waspromptly emulated by compatriots Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin, winners ofthe other two races in a Kiwi clean sweep.4 Australian Australian Grand Grand Prix Corporation Prix Corporation Annual Report Annual 2013 Report 42013