Radio goes the extra mile for F1 Grand Prix

Fair to say some jaws at ARN’s Melbourne HQ hit the floor this week when the Kyle & Jackie O Lambo rolled into town.

Flashier than a Swarovski crystal-studded mic, louder than Lauda and as subtle as a K & J complaint thread, it’d be pretty hard to miss the bright pink and purple KIIS-branded Lamborghini, complete with Kyle and Jackie O‘s heads emblazoned across the bonnet.

Part of a promotion with a luxury car hire business, the idea was to drive the Lambo through the city streets in convoy with the Kyle & Jackie O coach and the KIIS Thunderbirds in the lead up to today’s Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park.

But, as the Herald Sun (subscription required) reports, things took an unexpected U-turn, when the Lambo was allegedly spotted speeding up in residential streets in Elwood – during school pick-up time.

When one of the world’s biggest sporting events just happens to be taking place in your own backyard, it’s a chance for radio to churn out some strong and creative local content.

Most stations did this and some went the extra mile.

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Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren got into the Grand Prix spirit with their Sing for your Seats competition, in which listeners tried to win tickets to the race by belting out their own original Formula One-themed songs.

Jase Hawkins, Lauren Phillips and Clint Stanaway also chatted to Oscar Piastri’s mum Nicole ahead of the F1 superstar’s home race.

Lauren shared the story of her chance encounter with Piastri, revealing she rolled down her car window, waved and hollered “Yoohoo!” to the Aussie F1 superstar when she noticed his car was stopped alongside hers at a set of traffic lights.

“He just looked like, Oh no, who’s this nuffy?” Phillips said.

On Nova’s Smallzy’s Surgery, Smallzy chatted to Japanese F1 racing driver Yuki Tsunoda.

SCA and Triple M also had a visible presence at the track this week – with Dangerous Dave Williams and Matty O broadcasting live.

As 3AW Mornings host Tom Elliott noted, people who normally have zero interest in motor racing of any kind suddenly throw themselves into all things Formula One when the race comes to town.

Elliott says the Grand Prix captivates ordinary people in a way not many sporting events do.

“Staff here are talking about the glamour, the celebrities. They’re all watching Drive To Survive.”

“Even our regular panel operator – I don’t think he’s had a day off since he started here – he’s taken today off because he wants to go to Albert Park and watch the Grand Prix.”

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Breakfast with Sharnelle and Bob on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne was also trackside this week, with Bob Murphy and Sharnelle Vella getting the punters at Albert Park to give them their best impersonations of an F1 car in full flight.

While over at Melbourne’s RSN 927, Tom Mottram – General Manager of Operations at Australian Grand Prix Corporation – joined Breakfast with Harf.