On the latest episode of the Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard recall some of the best tracks and venues F1 has been to. During this, Jordan got emotional while reminiscing about the times he spent in Adelaide when F1 raced there. The former team boss stated that if there could be two races in Australia, he would love to have Adelaide back.
Jordan gave his perspective on how the Australian GP moved from Adelaide to Melbourne. He stated, “I was sad when Melbourne [got the Australian GP]. They had the power, the political power, the cash, and a lot of things going for them. And I love what they did in Melbourne.”
“But I also loved if we could have 2 races in any one country like that. I’d love to go back to Adelaide, it was fantastic.”, stated Jordan.
The Jordan F1’s former boss explained that the “political” factors made F1 shift its caravan down to Melbourne. Many fans worldwide resonate with his sad feeling about losing Adelaide, as it was a fan favorite track.
Jordan narrated an anecdote showcasing the “emphasis on fun at a Grand Prix” when F1 raced in Adelaide. He cited how the race organizers used to have a party after the Grand Prix was over for all drivers, team bosses, and mechanics. The 75-year-old recalled an Ayrton Senna story from the city of Churches.
The Irishman said, “I remember Tina Turner going to the crowd picking up Ayrton Senna. He had just been the world champion at that stage. Brought him on stage, and she sang ‘Simply the Best.'”
When the Australian GP was held in Adelaide
F1 raced in Adelaide from 1985 to 1995. At an exciting turn of the 90s decade, Adelaide gave F1 fans a unique street track experience. It often held the season finale of the calendar and gave some epic races. Unlike modern-day street tracks, fans loved watching Grands Prix in Adelaide.
In 11 years, no driver won the race more than two times. Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Gerhard Berger are the only three drivers to have won the Adelaide race twice.
Each year, there used to be a different winner, and not usually the championship contenders. The 1994 season finale made Adelaide famous with the controversial championship-deciding collision between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill.
However, in 1996, Melbourne got the hosting rights to the Australian GP. A street track-like circuit in Albert Park replaced the cityscapes of Adelaide, and F1 never returned to South Australia. It wasn’t until 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that F1 canceled the race in Australia due to lockdown restrictions.
After Eddie Jordan, David Coulthard also gave his views on Adelaide. As Coulthard only raced there once in 1995 (Nigel Mansell replaced DC for the last 3 races in ’94), he did not have much to say. However, he stated, “Anywhere where you can be in the city and close to the race track.” Thus, Adelaide does fit the bill for Coulthard, too.
