Q&A: Australian Grand Prix launch.

Foster's and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation held their traditional Formula One launch in Melbourne at the weekend, with announcements and presentations galore to begin the build-up to the opening race of the 2003 season.

Following the playing of an introductory video showing the action from the 2002 event, the press was allowed to ask questions of the various dignitaries present for the launch.

David Legge [MC]:The World According to Formula One, and what a wonderful world it is. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. A special welcome to the Honourable John Pandazopoulos, the Victorian minister for tourism, and to Mr Ronald Walker, chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, his board, the grand prix's fantastic sponsors, the media, and indeed all our guests this morning.

Ladies and gentlemen, Foster's, of course, is synonymous with Formula One worldwide and is entering the second year of its long-term relationship with the Foster's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. It's my pleasure now to introduce to you, firstly, Mr Rick Scully, managing director of Foster's Brewing International.

Rick Scully:
Thank you and good morning. I am delighted to be part of the launch of Melbourne's second Foster's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Foster's has been part of grand prix since 1986, and now has a decade-long commitment to support F1 worldwide, which includes naming rights to the British Grand Prix and our own home Australian Grand Prix.

The Australian Grand Prix is Australia's premier sporting event, attended by over 370,000 people, and seen by some 350 million TV viewers in over 150 countries. It is an ideal partnership between Australia's most global brand and Australia's most global sporting event. Both are recognised the world over for their 'live life to the full' attitudes, both are Melbourne-based, and both are major contributors to the Australian economy.

As the season's opening race, the Foster's Australian Grand Prix sets the benchmark for the Formula One championship calendar. As the first race of the season, it delivers a taste of what's to come; teams, drivers and cars are unveiled; and season fortunes start to crystallise. It boasts an outstanding street circuit, which the drivers love. Melbourne's world class infrastructure and liveable qualities make it a place where teams and racegoers alike have just as good a time off the track as on the track. And, of course, we love it because it's our home city. We regard the Foster's Australian Grand Prix as our signature race, and a springboard to our season-long involvement in Formula One Grand Prix worldwide.

2003 promises to be no exception. In March, alarm clocks will be going off around the world as enthusiasts tune in to watch the impact of the recent rule changes guaranteed to add action, colour and interest. And our own rising star, Mark Webber, who last year launched his Formula One career in Melbourne, this year embarks on an exciting new chapter in his career with his first drive for the Jaguar team. Mark's elevation to the Jaguar team is not only the start of a truly exciting stage in his career, but of a new chapter in Australian motorsports. Foster's is delighted to see Mark's talent recognised, but even more delighted that our early support has been instrumental in the development of his career. I know that all Foster's group staff and our partners around the world join me in congratulating our 'mate' Mark and wishing him a great and successful season.

Foster's is a proud Australian company, and proud to call Victoria home. We employ 13,000 Australians and take Australian products to more than 150 countries around the world. We delight in showcasing our home city to the world, and in helping to bring the excitement of Formula One - and all we have learnt through our international involvement with Formula One - back to Melbourne.

Apart from our significant sponsorship investment, we are right behind the event with a promotional programme we hope will bring the streets alive and generate excitement and interest, not just in Melbourne, but around Australia and all around the world. In Australia, sales promotions in pubs and clubs and a joint promotion with Australian Grand Prix partners, such as Qantas and Tattersall's, and our own beer, wine and spirit and hotel divisions, will give thousands of Australians the opportunity to be part of grand prix fever. We will also host several thousand guests from Australia and overseas who will enjoy the spectacle of Formula One and the best of Australian scenery, attractions and hospitality.

Around the world, we will promote the race in up to 150 countries where the Foster's brand is sold. Foster's proudly displays its Australian heritage overseas and we proudly showcase our home country and city through our involvement in the Australian Grand Prix.

I must say that one of the great and intangible things about our involvement in Formula One is that it galvanises and brings together all parts of the Foster's group network and organisation. We are more than a beer company; we are a global multi-beverage company which includes one of the world's largest and most successful wine companies - Beringer Blass Wine Estates - Australia's largest hotel group - the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group - and the Continental Spirits business and a host of international partners. No matter what our business, we all come together to get behind and enjoy the Foster's Australian Grand Prix.

In closing, it is my absolute pleasure to unveil the advertising campaign which will launch the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix. The 2002 campaign, The World According to Formula One, grew attendance to record levels on two of the four days. It broadened the appeal of the event and captured the attention of a whole new segment of racegoers. This campaign is set to build on that success. I think it bottles the diverse offerings and excitement of the four days of Formula One perfectly, and I congratulate the Grand Prix Corporation on their result.

I hope that the commitment and involvement of Foster's continues to help the Foster's Australian Grand Prix go from strength to strength, and we wish the Grand Prix Corporation every success for 2003 and beyond. Thank you very much. Without further ado, we will let the commercial roll.

MB>DL:
Fantastic ad - very sexy, I'm sure you will agree. And, Rick Scully, thank you very much for your kind words as well. Now, on with the show, folks, and let's take a look at some particular aspects of next year's Foster's Australian Grand Prix, the next Formula One world championship event that will be held right here in our Albert Park in just three-and-a-half months time. The countdown is on....

Folks, a new look on the way in grand prix racing in 2003, and it promises to be very exciting. To tell us just a little bit more from the Melbourne point of view, ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome the chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, Mr Steven Wright.

Steven Wright:
Ladies and gentlemen, as you would have seen throughout this morning's presentation, and will continue to do so, we remain committed to staging the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix to world's best standard. This same commitment has also been made by the Formula One world community with the introduction of the exciting rule changes that we've just witnessed. It is important to note, though, that some of the comments and observations that have been made overseas about Formula One do not necessarily apply in Melbourne. As we all remember, there was certainly no lack of excitement at the 2002 Foster's Australian Grand Prix!

Many people talk about the current success of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher, yet they forget that this success is only fairly recent after a long period of drought for Ferrari - five years without winning a race, 20 years without winning a world championship. But now the wheel has turned and, as we've seen, maybe a little bit too far. What the new rules will do is they have the potential to turn that wheel back and make the playing field just that little bit more level, without interfering with the character of the sport as a whole. In particular, the new tyre rule could, as Max Mosley said, see the likelihood of teams like BMW-Williams and McLaren getting back on equal terms with Ferrari and having their fair share of wins. Of course, we would also like to see other teams, like Renault, BAR, Toyota and Jaguar - with our own Mark Webber in the driver's seat - taking on Ferrari and throwing down the gauntlet. I'm sure we will also be throwing all our support behind Australian Paul Stoddart and the Minardi team. Who can forget their fantastic performance at this year's race?

Formula One is indeed growing into one of the most popular sports in Australia. We have got an Australian driver in Formula One, we have got a team owned by an Australian, we have got other young prospects coming up - it's no wonder our advanced ticket sales are going so well for next year. We are delighted with the way that next year's event is shaping up, and we've put together a programme of activities that will provide fantastic entertainment to our patrons. Our commitment to world's best standard is also the reason why we continue to attract and retain our sponsors, and I wish to sincerely thank Foster's, Qantas, BMW and our other sponsors and suppliers for their fantastic support. We really appreciate and enjoy that partnership that we have with each and every one of you.

It's now my pleasure to invite the honourable minister, John Pandazopoulos, the minister for tourism, to officially launch the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix.

John Pandazopolous:
Thank you very much, Steve, to you and your team at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation; to Ron Walker and board members; to Rick Scully; to other sponsors here - we very much appreciate your ongoing support and commitment to us too. To deputy lord mayor Susan Riley; ladies and gentlemen. It's a great pleasure to be here with you today at the new Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, and I think you will all agree it's an amazing venue for this launch.

The Foster's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park is the World According to Formula One. It's a world that captures the attention of the globe every March for the opening round of the Formula One world championships, in the world's most liveable city. It's a world where millions of dollars in technology translates into thousandths of a second on the track and where glamour and excitement are the order of the day. It's a world to which hundreds of thousands of Victorians flock to see magical sporting moments and a world that attracts over 30,000 interstate and overseas visitors, as well as millions of international television viewers who see the fabulous Melbourne branding each year. It's the world of the Foster's Australian Grand Prix, and the event in March earlier this year had it all. It was an edge-of-your-seat ride from the first corner to the finish and wasn't it great to see, of course, Mark Webber on the grid, the first Australian to race a Formula One car since David Brabham in 1994.

Victorians have followed Mark Webber up through the ranks and have supported him in his goal to drive in Formula One for many years. From his beginning as a ball boy with the Canberra Raiders, to his days in Formula Ford, Formula Three and Formula 3000, Australians have been watching and hoping that Mark's Formula One dream could come true. It was therefore a tremendously proud moment to see Mark, along with fellow Australian - Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart - bring the Minardi home in fifth place, scoring two points on his debut at his home grand prix - in the process, making him the first Australian to score points since Alan Jones in Italy in 1986.

Who could forget the emotional scenes at Albert Park with Mark and Paul on the podium draped in the Australian flag? It was a great day for all Victorians and all Australians. I can remember Mark saying on the day that 'it doesn't get any better than this'. Well, let's hope that the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix will be even better. It has been announced that Mark will drive for Jaguar in 2003 and will line up on the grid in March next year many places further up the starting grid. And, with the changes to the Formula One qualifying outlined earlier, who knows - it could just be another fairytale.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very pleased to launch, on your behalf the 2003 Foster's Australian Formula One Grand Prix - with Mark Webber driving for Jaguar Racing.

DL:
Minister, just before you go, you mentioned Mark Webber there. Of course, we're all very proud of Mark, but I don't know if you realise that Mark is actually with us this morning, not physically in the room, but by satellite from the Jaguar Racing headquarters at Milton Keynes in England. Good morning, Mark. Or good evening your time. Can you hear us loud and clear?

Mark Webber:
I can, loud and clear. It's great to be here. It's a very fresh evening here in Milton Keynes. It's great to see all you guys up nice and early.

DL:
Mark, the Victorian tourism minister, Mr John Pandazopoulos, is here with us and he's just officially launched the 2003 Foster's Australian Grand Prix, and I would just like to invite the minister to have a quick word with you before we go to some questions from the media.

JP:
G'day from all of us down here in Melbourne, Mark. We caught up a few months ago at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation offices, and we spoke about that wonderful moment with you and Paul Stoddart, the Australian flag and the pride - it made it look like you had actually won, not Michael Schumacher. You did great in 2002; can you do better in 2003?

MW:
I believe so. I believe we have got a great foundation here to build on. It's a huge opportunity for me. It's a works team obviously, and I'm tremendously excited to be having my new role here at Jaguar. I have to also thank Paul [Stoddart], obviously, for the opportunity to drive for his team in the season just gone, as it put me in the shop window to show, hopefully, what I can do. I've got a lot ahead of me, a lot of hard work, but hopefully you will see the fruits of that hard work come Melbourne.

DL:
Ladies and gentlemen, to another very exciting feature of the 2003 Grand Prix. That's right, folks, it's the Speed Comparison and it's back. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please give a round of applause for the two Australian participants - Larry Perkins and Alan Moffat. Gentlemen, could you stand up. Ten Bathursts between the two of them and we are looking forward to the Speed Comparison. It will be absolutely fantastic. Very thrilling.

Folks, over the years at these functions we have introduced you to various young Australian drivers making their way through the ranks of international racing towards Formula One. Many of you may remember a much younger Mark Webber and, more recently, James Courtney and Ryan Briscoe. Today, it's a great pleasure to welcome home another young Aussie who launched on to the international scene this year - Will Davison.

Davison, of course, is a very famous name in Australian motor racing. Will's grandfather, Lex, won four Australian Grands Prix way back before it was a world championship race. And it's also our great pleasure to announce today that Will will become one of our grand prix ambassadors, so he will be waving the flag, so to speak, for the grand prix on his international travels. Will, welcome aboard. You're 20 years of age, you've got it all for you. You drove this year in Formula Renault, which is a little bit of a glamour category because Kimi Raikkonen came through Formula Renault to make his way into Formula One. Where have you been racing this year and how have you gone?

Will Davison:
This year, I've raced in the British Formula Renault Championship. It's a very, very competitive championship, a one-make category, so it's very even for all drivers out there. Obviously, I started a little bit behind the eight ball, as I only went over in early February and it's the first time I had ever been over there. All the circuits were very new to me, and the car also. So I got there early in February and knew it was going to be a very, very steep learning curve, but the year went very, very well. I learnt a hell of a lot, and ended up finishing fourth in the championship - which was better than I had expected. Come the middle of the season, we were very consistently in the top five, had two strong front-row qualifying positions and three podium finishes, so, all in all, I was very, very happy with the way it went.

DL:
Terrific, and you've been doing some Formula Three tests, so what's in store for 2003 for you?

WD:
Things are looking very exciting for next year. I've been very fortunate to do three days' testing with Alan Docking, who is the Australian [team owner] who won the British Formula Three Championship this year. The testing went very, very well and certainly created a lot of interest for next year. Running Formula Three next year is our number one priority and we are working extremely hard to make that possible.

DL:
For people who might not know Alan Docking, he is a Formula Three team owner, an Australian who has been in the UK now for about 30 years, and he has got an amazing strike rate. Of the guys who have been through his teams, he has had between 30 and 35 per cent go on to Formula One, so it's a pretty good strike rate, you would have to admit.Your ultimate aim, of course, is Formula One?

WD:
Definitely.

DL:
Have you got a time-frame on that, or are you just going to see how it goes?

WD:
It's very difficult to put a time-frame on it. Ultimately, if I can get into Formula Three next year, I feel very confident that I would be able to do a good job. And if things went well next year, you never know. Definitely, in the next year or two hopefully, we could be knocking on the doors of a few teams for a test roll or something like that. We've just got to take these things how they come.

DL:
Exactly, mate. We wish you all the very best in pursuing your dream. We hope that, in the next two or three years, we might see you on the grid at Albert Park in March. Thanks very much for joining us this morning.

WD:
Thank you.

DL:
You can see another young Mark Webber in the making there, can't you? The next best thing in Australian motor racing is a Melbourne boy too, [from the] home of the Foster's Australian Grand Prix. And Will's brother, Alex, is also racing overseas. He has been driving for Porsche. He's won three races this year, so he is doing very well as well.

Well, folks, as we've come to know over the years, the grand prix is much, much more than a Formula One race. [There are] so many other things to see and do down at Albert Park over those four days in early March.

And what a marvellous family of sponsors we have too - we are privileged to have them with us again for the Foster's Australian Grand Prix in 2003. I'm sure you will agree that it's all looking fantastic for 6-9 March at Albert Park. As we come towards the end of this morning's presentation, I would like to thank you on behalf of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation for your attendance here today, and also your support of the grand prix. We look forward to seeing you at Albert Park in March.