A Reader’s Story: Stand Down in Albert Park

2020 Australia F1 Grand Prix Historic Support Races
March 12-15, 2020

By Ernest Nagamatsu

One of the most coveted ‘invitations’ in Historic Motorsports Racing in Australia is to participate in the Australia F1 Grand Prix Historic Support Race. There are only 60 historic race cars selected to race on the Albert Park F1 race circuit.

The Historic Support Race is on the weekend of the huge F1 season opener race in Melbourne. Shannon’s Insurance provided the sponsor support and there were tents for the historic race cars. It was the 25th Anniversary for the Australia F1 GP and the excitement was rising. This race followed the great Phillip Island Classic Historic race with over 500 cars racing and five races for the weekend.

The statue of Sir Jack Brabham stood tall at the specially constructed F1 circuit within Albert Park. The course is challenging, particularly through the shaded tree section. Turn 1 is a tight kink and one realizes and respects the skills of the current F1 drivers, as for them it is a ‘flick, flick’ through the turn. The curved section along the lake was a brilliant sight. With the good spacing, drivers could test limits of their cars and abilities in a responsible manner. The Drivers’ Meeting was essential for the ‘spirited’ racing, encouraging extra respect for each other.

At the F1 Historic, there was a big speed differential among the historic race-cars, with the blindingly fast McLarens, a Porsche 956C, the Williams FW07 and the legendary “Teddy Yip” Theodore Racing F-5000.

There were two rare Maserati 250 S race cars along with several Brabham BT 31/21s looking comfortable in their ‘Motherland.’ The blue Maybach Special was one of the most famous Australian race cars, and it was ready to race.

On Thursday, our 1958 Porsche Speedster 356 flywheel broke and the Mark Johnson shop did an “all nighter” and replaced the motor with our spare.

But while we were preparing get the car ready for racing, the coronavirus was very rapidly spreading not only throughout the world but in Australia as well. There were rumors galore up and down the pits. Friday brought more confusion, as the “shifting sands” of F1, the FIA, and the Australian Government made it seem that decisions changed hour by hour or minute by minute.

Race fans were in long queues at the gate as we were inside at the paddock, awaiting instructions from Race Control. We were told that the event was ‘on.’ The Porsche Speedster arrived back to the F1 circuit just as the grid was lining up and I jumped in. Drivers and cars assembled on the grid line up, all helmeted/suited up and ready to race.

All drivers were then told that there would be delays for our session. We all waited by our cars for over an hour and finally an announcement was made.

The Australian F1 Grand Prix was to be cancelled immediately including all supporting events, meaning us. We experienced firsthand the wave of the abrupt and harsh effect of the COVID-19 for sports and in our case motorsports. The bigger picture is a concern for the safety and well being for others, and motorsports will be affected like many others. None of the historic drivers were upset, and all considered the support race at the F1 as a “DNF.” The “Super Cars” race was the big secondary feature of the event and they also had track time Thursday, but of course they too packed up.

Then everyone packed up. It was such a ghostly and eerie sensation, like an apocalyptic movie scene, walking through the giant F1 venue, with everything stopped in its tracks. Splashes of bright colors and no movement in sight.

It was an amazing moment, and I had been through only one similar episode in my vintage racing career. I was driving at the Goodwood Revival in 2001 with the CSX 2203 1964 Shelby Cobra in the Tourist Trophy event with Lyn St James on the very weekend of 9-11. Lord March carried on but without joy.