Formula 1 launch party returns to elegance with A-list guests and Penfolds Grange

You know the type: You’re constantly within five meters of a photographer and you’re probably aware that Red Bull is something you drink more than a world championship-winning team.

Their F1 knowledge could easily fit on the back of a Pirelli tyre, but they know exactly where the pitch-and-repeat wall is and what angle works best for the gram.

This year, Auld decided to do something about it. The guest list has been reduced from 800 to 450. The idea was simple: fewer calls and more people who knew the difference between a pit stop and a champagne break.

The lavish launch party had a reputation over the years as a sort of velvet-stringed sardine can; Celebrities, sponsors, influencers and other vaguely important people were jammed shoulder to shoulder under the fog of champagne and perfume.

Not this time.

The first thing I noticed when I entered the party was the emptiness. Real space! The crowd thinned, the room was calmer, and everything was – dare I say it – dazzling again.

A quick 360-degree spin of the room earlier in the night revealed sightings of Bec Judd, Nadia Bartel, Jacqui Felgate, power couple Andy Lee and Bec Harding and Lara Worthington. People whose fame does not come from their number of TikTok followers.

The first few hours of the party were spent in the starting area; oysters and champagne were served on the tarmac.

Then came the music. The musical performances were spectacular as the Grand Prix launch party was at its peak. In 2018, there was a surprise appearance from singing Mya. Ex case (We can’t be friends if you don’t know this song). The following year, Sneaky Sound System performed literally in the middle of the dance floor.

I tried to remember the artists of the intervening years. But the fact that I can’t speak for myself.

This year we heard from the hugely successful Australian Kita Alexander. Atmospherefeaturing global DJing giant Fisher. It was perfect.

The party then moved on to the concourse, where a long table between the track and the paddock hall was lined with what looked like an army of wine glasses; each waiting patiently to pour a Penfolds Grange. In most rooms this would be the centerpiece, but here it felt almost mundane, as if someone had forgotten to mention that Australia’s most famous red was dispensed like sparkling water.

A pasta station was unexpectedly located above the starting line; Because if you’re going to eat carbs, you might as well do it at the spot where 22 Formula 1 cars will launch at 300 km/h on Sunday.

There was a theatrical side to the meals inside. The Gilded Grill featured a live yaki-style cooking station where chefs worked on cubed wagyu, Hiramasa kingfish, bluefin tuna and Ora King salmon. Somewhere nearby, Grill Americano’s tiramisu was quietly solving the problems of people who had perhaps previously been too absorbed in drinking champagne.

Even more interesting were the people dragged around the room.

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Crown Melbourne’s new CEO, Ed Domingo, has just arrived from New York and is still getting used to Melbourne’s habit of talking about football within 45 seconds of meeting someone. He revealed that he had already chosen a side: Hawthorn. A bold choice, depending on your perspective.

Nearby was hugely popular podcaster and radio voice Luisa Dal Din, attending her first Glamor on the Grid and looking a bit amused by the whole spectacle.

But if I had to pick one thing that could still be improved, it would be the gift bag.

This reporter said the sparkly, blue-eye shimmer from Mecca is a bold shade and definitely not everyone’s color. The Crown slippers looked like they had been taken from the mini bar cabinet. I’m not sure how much demand there is among adults for pocket squares with cars on them.

For newcomers, this is a strange start. One moment you’re chatting over oysters on the Formula 1 starting line, the next moment you’re drinking Grange in the paddock lounge with half of Melbourne’s corporate class.

So if the question is whether the attraction is back on the grid? The answer is yes.

So much so that I apologize social network, My advice would be to quit the “grill”. Just call it Glamour. It’s cleaner.