Melbourne live

AUSTRALIA'S reputation for providing an unrivalled programme of entertainment on and off the race track was obvious through its "Got to live Formula One" theme that took over Melbourne's Albert Park for the Qantas Australian Grand Prix Formula One, the first of the Century. There was celebration in the air with Australia's garden city all dolled up for the start of the season of the first Grand Prix championship of the Century, a race against the clock.

Melbourne is Australia's undisputed cultural capital, leading the way in arts, theatre and entertainment. A city of style, grace, elegance and contrasts, the southern capital serves as the nation's creative melting pot - a Mecca for artists and performers of all types.

Many home-grown talents have made it on to the world stage. Dame Nellie Melba, the opera singer who named herself after her birthplace, was its first great star. Barry Humphries, Olivia Newton - John, John Farnham, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan have all followed in her wake to become arts figures of world stature.

What makes Melbourne so receptive to talented individuals and troupes is the sheer number of venues for artistic expression. Melbourne has more performance venues than any similar-sized city outside New York. In fact, the arts scene is so strong that an entire block of the beautiful metropolis has been given over to the development of a burgeoning "Arts City".

Melburnians love blockbuster shows. And when events such as Formula One come to town, the city becomes obsessive. Tourism Victoria, International Affairs, General Manager, Melanie D'Souza summed it aptly: "There is always some event happening in Melbourne that adds a delectable flavour to the visitors' itinerary. Indian visitors are increasingly looking at upmarket events and the Formula One is a great excuse to visit Melbourne. We have all the facilities by way of entertainment and food to fit the needs of Indian travellers The Moomba festival, an extravaganza of fun, music and frolic with trams on show in the centre of Swanston street is a fitting finale to the Grand Prix."

The festival turns the entire city into a stage and on the opening night, in front of the Arts Centre and the Southgate complex, people literally dance in the streets. Where else in the world can you take a ride on a tram that has been painted by a noteworthy artist - or even a cartoonist?

Melbourne's "sporting" personality emanates from the new Olympic Museum of the Melbourne Cricket Ground - a mecca for most Indian travellers, to the Tennis Centre. As the sporting capital of the world, it hosts mega events such as the Heineken golf championship, Australia Football League grand final, the Melbourne Cup and of course, the ever popular Qantas Australian Formula One Grand Prix, something the whole city was all set to see.

Bewildering things happened during the practice of Formula One. During the prequalifying and finals, cars stopped, stalled the one that was driven by the debutante Jenson Button made high- speed contact with a bird! If the prequalifying round was any revelation of what to expect of the Grand Prix, one was sure all hell would break loose, and it did.

Michael Schumacher won the 2000 Qantas Australian Grand Prix for Ferrari to break his Australian duck and new teammate Rubens Barrichello made it a scarlet 1-2 finish on a day when the other main competitors fell by the wayside two-by-two. Schumacher, driving 58 faultless laps for his 36th career win, won with a car that might deliver Ferrari's first championship in 21 years, destroying arch rival Mikka Hakkinen, who ended the race, tears in his eyes, standing on a grass verge while smoke billowed out of the back of his Mercedes-powered McLaren. Schumacher's pride was evident as he tapped brother Ralf, who finished third, on the shoulder on the podium. Assuming McLaren gets the minor engine problem sorted out in quick time, Hakkinen will be back on or near the starting grid at the next Grand Prix in Brazil. For the 80-strong Jaguar contingent, drivers Herbert and Irvine experienced misfortune, but not before merchandise worth $400,000 was sold in Albert Park, where the racetrack ran through.

What better way to live than being on one of the world's premier race circuits and a Monaco Grand Prix winner as your chauffeur? There were fabulous prizes awaiting patrons buying the grandstand tickets. Oliver Pains, the world's most expensive chauffeur, drove the lucky winner in a McLaren Mercedes MP4-98T two-seater car. Should one want to pay for the drive on another day, one would have to get hold of a mere $20,000!

Just as exciting for international crowds was the prospect of an action-packed support programme, something not done in Europe or Japan. Crowds were treated to a host of events including Suzuki stunt riders doing handstands on handlebars, horizontal steering with the feet and wheelies at 200 km an hour. And if it wasn't happening on the circuit, it was happening in the air.

The Australian Defence Force stunned people with fly pasts from F/A 18s and F-111s, whose speed would leave even the likes of Hakkinen and Schumacher gasping for breath.

There was also a competition to find the Qantas Australian Grand Prix's Best-Dressed Fan. The weird and wackiest won a $5000 prize!

The fervour that erupted following the red victory lasted long after the Ferrari passed the finish line. The passion and emotions of Ferrari fans covered from head to toe in red, was a sight not easily forgotten.

Life goes on even when the track racing action stops. But at the end of it all, what remains in the memory is the deafening, maddening and memorable sounds of the powerful engines whizzing on the racetrack and the flood of 1,20,000 fans within seconds of the race ending to cheer their hero to catch a glimpse of him douse the crowd with champagne, waving flags, hooting, crying, cheering.

What a way to Live Formula One!

NEELAM MATHEWS

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