Lygon Street may have been a “sea of red” on Sunday night after Ferrari’s 1-2 finish at the Australian Grand Prix, but by Monday morning, sport merchandise shop Forza Italia only had a splash of red left after almost selling out of Ferrari gear.
“Jackets, caps, flags – all the essentials people were buying up,” said store owner Joseph Gerace after hordes of fans flooded the strip and his business late into the night on Sunday.
Joseph Gerace at Forza Italia on Monday morning after a late night serving Ferrari fans.Credit: Luis Ascui
“It’s one of those events where everyone jumps on the bandwagon. We’re very much a Ferrari town.”
The wider economic benefit to Melbourne’s tourism industry is oft-cited by politicians and sport executives as part of the rationale to the growing Victorian taxpayer contribution to the F1 race.
Trader anecdotes and early numbers of foot traffic suggest this year’s record attendance at Albert Park – 452,055 people over four days, up from 444,631 last year – spilled over into the rest of the city and its dining and shopping precincts, although it’s too soon for any official economic figures.
The grand prix coincided with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, and the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. At least one hotel chain – the Marriott Group – was at 88 per cent occupancy across its 10 Melbourne properties, a company spokeswoman said.
Lygon Street was taken over by Ferrari fans on Sunday night.Credit: Nine News Melbourne
In Lygon Street, the traditional home of Melbourne’s Italian diaspora, nighttime foot traffic across Saturday and Sunday was 29 per cent higher than the previous weekend, a City of Melbourne spokeswoman said. It was also 22 per cent higher than the 2023 grand prix weekend.
“The Italian community always comes together when they are victorious,” laughed Gerace on a much more subdued Lygon Street on Monday morning, where only a few checked racing flags were outside bistros after the wild scenes the night before.
Up to 20 glossy, roaring Ferraris and supercars lined the iconic strip and thousands of racing fans took over every inch of Melbourne’s Little Italy for revelry into the wee hours of Monday, in scenes reminiscent of Italy’s European soccer championship win in July 2021, local traders said.
Even the most popular dishes ordered were red – spaghetti pomodoro, lasagne, and strawberry desserts – according to Simone Staltari, manager at Italian eatery D.O.C, which enjoyed a 35 per cent increase in table covers and sold double the amount of Peronis than on a regular Sunday.
“Everything that was red was selling,” he said. “As soon as people saw something red coming out of the kitchen they wanted something red as well.”
This month, the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims, was already busy for Lygon Street, which has had a recent influx of restaurants from Arab and Muslim cultures, that host Iftar banquets after sunset.
“We’ve got Ramadan on, Easter coming up and the grand prix – it’s our busiest month of the year,” said Sonny Bestawros, owner of Egyptian restaurant Cairo Nights.
Bestawros and other restaurant owners on Lygon Street reserved parking spots outside their businesses for the Ferrari Club Melbourne on Sunday knowing the cars would draw crowds.
Ferrari fans celebrate in Lygon Street on Sunday night.Credit: Nine
“It’s a good image – especially because they won. Everyone just went wild,” Bestawros said.
“We were busy in the last few days, but a day like [Sunday] was next level. We were twice as busy as we would be on a regular Sunday. Everyone wanted a table on the street. We did have lines and I did my best to keep it moving. It was just amazing.”
Neighbouring Italian bistro Piccolo Mondo was also heaving.
“Inside, outside, upstairs balcony was completely full – it was absolutely crazy,” manager Cynthia Costa told ABC radio on Monday morning.
Ferrari drivers on Lygon Street, Carlton on Sunday.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
“People were lined up waiting for tables – we could not get our tables fast enough.”
Closer to the race action in St Kilda, restaurateurs also reported a boon on the back of race fans.
“It was exceptional,” said Simon Kouba, the owner of Italian eatery Flour Child on Acland Street, which drew in tourists from interstate with 50 free cocktails per day.
“I wouldn’t even say it was just the weekend – the week in general was really, really busy.
“We were 50 per cent up (in foot traffic and revenue) during the weekdays, and 25 per cent above on the weekends to what we usually do.”
As the month-long pack-down of race infrastructure began on Monday, Australian Grand Prix chief executive Travis Auld repeated an ambition to grow the event to one day overtake the British Grand Prix as the world’s biggest F1 race.
Little Italy’s big celebration.Credit: Matt Golding
“It was once about Albert Park, now it’s about Melbourne,” Auld said. “To hear stories of our hoteliers and our restaurateurs having full bookings not just for two or three days at the event, but well beyond that, is what makes this thing so successful.”
Lord Mayor Sally Capp backed that ambition.
“We’re the only city in the world to host both a tennis grand slam [tournament] and a grand prix and that is a testament to how well Melbourne does events,” Capp said.
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