Preparations for the race are being completed in Melbourne

Travis Auld took over as CEO of the Australian Grand Prix just six months ago and in this capacity is awaiting his first Formula 1 race in Melbourne.

Before the start of the race weekend at Albert Park, he explained how the preparations for this event are going.

Travis Auld: “I am one of the many people who have previously enjoyed the Australian Grand Prix from a distance. I have been coming to this race for many years in a row, I have watched this event grow in scale and turn into the bright show we know today, when the Melbourne stage is recognized all over the world as one of the best Grand Prix .

I’ve worked in the sports and entertainment industry for almost a quarter of a century and now I have the opportunity to see it all from the inside and appreciate this absolutely incredible event. On the eve of the Grand Prix, hundreds of people work on its preparation. From the outside it is impossible to understand how much work needs to be done in such a short time.

It will take us about twelve weeks to complete everything, and you could say we are building a small city. We have built grandstands for 46,000 seats and our track is considered one of the top ten sporting facilities in the country. In addition, we build a large number of other infrastructural facilities, we organize guest areas and all work on the circuit is carried out with great care, so that everything is done perfectly.

I have only been in this position for half a year, I am still learning every day and at the same time trying to create a working environment for everyone where everyone works calmly, with a clear understanding of their tasks. I ask a lot of questions, relying on my colleagues who have been involved in this project for a long time, and I understand that after this Grand Prix next year I can act differently. But I really love this process, I literally enjoy every minute of it.

The main work has already been completed, but this remaining 3% is extremely important, because now we have to control everything and make sure that everything is done as efficiently as possible. You also need to understand whether there is an opportunity to do something even better and put the finishing touches. We have to be sure that our race will go well.

Last year 440 thousand people visited Albert Park this weekend, and we need to ensure that our Grand Prix is ​​constantly evolving, because then we can attract the attention of an even wider audience, including young people. And it’s not just about making sure fans see everything they need to see during every lap of the race, but also what’s happening off track. This way, after the race, everyone can go to the stage where the musicians will perform, because we have planned a wonderful program for each of the three evenings of the weekend, from Friday to Sunday. There will be many well-known Australian artists performing and lots to see, so everyone is encouraged to come and enjoy.”