- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
As Carlos Sainz crossed the finish line on Sunday to win the Australian Grand Prix from teammate Charles Leclerc, the sea of red at Albert Park erupted in jubilation after a 20-year-long wait was finally ended.
For the first time since 2004, Ferrari finished 1-2 in Australia, and the celebrations were quick to begin right across the city, from the Albert Park Circuit right up to the traditional Ferrari territory of Lygon Street to the north of the CBD.
Huge crowds were reported on Lygon Street on Sunday night to celebrate the occasion, which was adorned with a string of Ferraris parked along the street and hundreds of Scuderia fans celebrating at the numerous Italian restaurants.
Speaking to The Roar after the race, Sainz said he was amazed at the support the Melbourne fans had brought across the weekend.
“It’s unbelievable. The support that we get in countries like Australia from the Tifosi (Italian word for fans), it’s something really, really special,” he said.
“So many fans out there wearing red. It almost looks like you’re in Monza, at some points on the track. And it’s really nice to see, and obviously, all this makes a difference for us, for the team, having all this support and going to places where we feel so loved and supported. It’s always a really nice feeling for the drivers, but also for the mechanics and all the team members.”
A record crowd converged on Albert Park on the weekend, with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation reporting a total four-day attendance of 452,055. This was an increase on last record year’s attendance by 7,424.
Runner-up Leclerc said the crowds had been amazing and it was always special coming to Melbourne.
“The fan zone was probably one of the loudest fan zones we ever had,” he told The Roar.
“We can really feel a very special support here in Melbourne. Lots of Italian people, as you said, and we can feel that special support. So it’s good to have such a great result on such a track and with having so much support around the track.”
The last time Ferrari celebrated a 1-2 result at Albert Park was in 2004 when Michael Schumacher finished ahead of Rubens Barrichello.
Sainz’s win was the 11th for Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix since it became an official round of the Formula One World Championship, equaling McLaren’s record for most World Championship wins in Australia.
Looking for great odds on racing and sport? Get into the action with PlayUp today. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.