ADELAIDE MOTORSPORT FESTIVAL 2024
March. The most anticipated month on the South Australian calendar. Mad-March they call it; renowned for a packed schedule of diverse events. However for one weekend in this period, the city of Adelaide came most alive. The vibrant hums of engines ricocheted through the urban landscape, gaining louder and louder as you neared the epicentre. The 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival was a weekend unlike no other. Building on from 2023's incredible success, Event Director Tim Possingham and his team of motoring-enthusiasts dedicated countless hours to hosting the Southern Hemisphere's greatest automotive event. Once again, Hillside Auto News had the pleasure of covering the entirety of the event, and through this feature, you can relive it all with us.
Friday Practice Day
Conditions were warm and clear as the practice sessions began on the Victoria Park Circuit in the Adelaide CBD. When you first arrive at the track at 8am in the morning, you feel at peace. It felt very much like this during Friday's practice sessions. While hundreds of millions worth of vehicles were present, Victoria Park was still very much a 'park'. It retained a sense of tranquility, with the chirps of birds contesting with the hum of horsepower. The Friday practice day allows entrants to become accustomed to how their cars perform on the circuit, however for us at Hillside Auto News, it was the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with the star cars before their public appearances that night. The Friday seemed to maintain a picnic-racing atmosphere, with entrants bringing family members along to experience the AMF before anyone else. We spent the first portion of the day simply meandering through the garages and displays, capturing everything we found interesting. Which, as it happened, seemed to be practically everything. We caught up with some familiar faces, ate some brilliant food and caught ourselves gawping at some of the unbelievable machinery the 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival had to offer. Like the previous year, we found ourselves in the stands at one point, watching the all new 'Ferrari Spettacollo' category; the largest gathering of special edition Ferraris in the Southern Hemisphere. With cars such as the FXX EVO, 599XX EVO, LaFerrari, Enzo, F40, Testarossa, and the priceless 250LM, the stable of red cars snapped necks as they made their way out on to the circuit. Each category took it in turns to familiarise themselves with the track, with other highlights including the first track-time for the iconic Mazda 767B, the V10-powered Benetton B200 and much more. After making my way through most of the garages, I came across the up-and-coming Formula 1 star Liam Lawson, who was preparing for his session in the Leyton House Porsche 962C. Liam stated he was "looking forward to the weekend ahead" and was an interesting person to chat with. He asked if it was to "be a big weekend?" Big is an understatement. As the day went on, anticipation increased in the leadup to the Gouger Street Party, where numerous entrants would take to city streets in a unique atmosphere.
Peak Hour of Power and Gouger Street Party
While Adelaide has some incredible cars, its not an every-day occurrence that 25 priceless vehicles make their way through city streets in an indescribable demonstration of horsepower. Thousands of enthusiasts and unaware passersby lined the streets, as city workers clocked off for the day and began to head home. However this would not be any ordinary peak hour. Cutting through the regular hums of stationary traffic and the occasional honking of a horn, the glorious revs of high powered vehicles gained closer and closer as anticipation grew. And there they were. The cars were sorted into two groups, with the lead vehicles including a Porsche Le Mans car, Mazda 767B and numerous F1 cars. Coming to a stop in Gouger Street; Adelaide's Chinatown district, a terrific crowd swarmed, desperate for a peek at the incredible lineup. As the night progressed, the party atmosphere boomed, with pumping music and bustling restaurants combined with the spectacle of motorsport. With the sacred media pass, I had the privilege of wandering amongst the lineup, which felt like a dream. As I squeezed between $15m worth in just two vehicles, namely the Ferrari Enzo FXX EVO and the all new Pagani Utopia, I came to realise the true presence of seeing these cars on city streets. The Gouger Street Party was the national debut of Pagani's latest masterpiece, with an exposed carbon spec drawing immense attention. As the light slowly diminished, the engines came to life, sparking anticipation for the closing of the event. Crowds flocked to the side of the road, creating a corridor for the unbelievable cars to maneuver through. Cameras flashed ferociously, with everyone aiming to capture their piece of the momentous occasion. The emotive effects of petrol and noise flooded the city, as the 25 star cars bid goodnight, symbolising the public initiation of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival.
Public Day One - Saturday
By 8.30am on Public Day One of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, the crowds were already lining up at the entrance in their masses. A very warm day was forecasted, with spectators and entrants alike seeking shade in a battle against the piercing sun. A beautiful golden glow graced the cars, as various categories began to filter out onto the circuit for first of the day's activities. The early morning is always our favourite time - the peaceful and serene atmosphere competing with the ferocious hums of engines. While in the early stages of the day, the mammoth crowds exponentially grew. Seeing racing fans; young and old alike, experience the unparalleled Adelaide Motorsport Festival sparked a buzzing sense of excitement throughout Victoria Park. With an increase in viewing areas over the previous year's event, ticketholders were sure to view their favourite cars race around a large portion of the track. Getting tired of the racing? No problem. The world-class Grand Marquee was the place to be. Hosted by the excellent Charlie Barlow, the central stage saw presentations and talks from industry leaders, star guests and interesting characters and their cars. After a signing session of his all-new book, Surviving to Drive, former Haas F1 Team Principal and Netflix personality Guenther Steiner took to the stage to talk everything Formula One, and race management. Notable other Grand Marquee talks included Liam Lawson and Damon Hill. The VIP track-side suites were bustling, with the likes of Pagani, Mercedes, and Zagame hosting a state-of-the-art experience. The juxtaposition of high-class dining with the falling tyre rubber from the drifting is what makes the AMF such a unique and successful occasion. With a vibrant and bustling atmosphere, jam-packed event schedule and clear skies, day one of the 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival welcomed the public with open arms.
Public Day Two - Sunday
Similar to the previous year, the Sunday of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival was met with wet weather in the morning. While track conditions were challenging, competitors did not hesitate to make the most out of the day. The rainy forecast came to an end early on in the day, and thanks to the drift category, the track was dry and ready for action in no time. Like Saturday, Sunday drew crowds in their masses, with F1 stars Valtteri Bottas and David Croft making special appearances throughout the day. Bottas was tasked with getting behind the wheel of multiple unique cars, including a Group A VK Commodore, Brabham BT62 and the incredible Leyton House CG891 Judd F1 car. In a frenzy, crowds swarmed around the Finnish driver, with his iconic bleached mullet standing out in the crowd. With little time between each track session, Bottas emphasised his impressive talent as he adapted to the various types of driving styles. Throughout the day, I took some time to experience the on track action as merely a spectator, taking in the sights and sounds of Adelaide-era F1 cars including the Michael Schumacher Benetton B193B as it sprinted around the circuit. At around midday, the Grand Marquee swarmed with crowds, with a humourous insider-take into the world of F1 from David Croft and Bottas respectively, in an interactive and entertaining talk. Meanwhile on track, the screams of the Ferrari Spettacolo demonstration echoed throughout the park, occasionally distracting Bottas from his sentence. Other highlights of the day included spending some time in the state-of-the-art Zagame Suite, which had panoramic views around the grounds thanks to it's raised level. The unbelievable food and exclusivity made the suite comparable to hospitality options at F1 and the like. As the afternoon grew on and crowds began to filter out of the gates, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival of 2024 began to finish, and what an event it was.
After an incredible three days spent at the 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival, the gates closed for another year. I have now had the privileges of spending two years working with the team at the AMF, and it excellent to see the incomprehensible amount of work put into the event pay off. What a weekend this was. After being involved with the 2023 event also, I honestly did not believe much could be done to bring the event to a higher standard than it already was. However, 2024 has proven otherwise, with the Adelaide Motorsport Festival being the Southern Hemisphere's answer to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. I'm already anticipating the 2025 AMF, and I'm sure it will be even bigger and better. Overall, the 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival highlighted the extensive motorsport heritage of our great city, paired with a forward-moving approach to the current and future generations of automotive endeavours.
Want more Adelaide Motorsport Festival? Read our write-up on the 2023 event below.
