My marshalling post was about as exciting as watching Save Albert Park protesters complain. And that was with the near-priceless Ascari having it's right rear corner ripped off by an equally near-priceless Porsche GT3 and another Porsche catching fire in front of us.
And that was after I had to drive from Wartook in the morning to get there (check it on a map). I parked at the Exhibition Centre, found out the trams weren't stopping out the front, had to sprint up the road to Spencer St, stopping briefly to chat with Jenson Button's dad. He wished me a "quiet day". I wished him and his boy luck. I now wish I hadn't. I finally got to my post, already quite stuffed.
But it did get more interesting after the race. Thanks to an old GP friend Marcos Linhares, a bubbly Brazilian and former accredited journalist who is used to getting into places, and still does, now without accreditation. The magic he can weave merely with my CAMS Guest pass is amazing. Every time Marcos is around, things always get interesting.
Here's some pics to prove it.
That would be Marcos
Corinne Schumacher talks to hubby "Nein, leibster, don't come out yet...there are too many of ze fan people outside" (I seriously think that's what she was saying from what I overheard!)
Vijay Mallya, owner of the very handy if not slightly dorkily named Force India
A blurry and not at all well-looking Eddie Jordan, drummer and former team owner
Vitantantontonio Liuzzi
"It's only Vitantantontantonio Liuzzi, Marcos, let's find someone more interesting..."
"Lauda"!! No...."Lauda!! "...no...oh, you've heard that one before... a few million times...okay...
Martin Brundle, the best driver to come out of the UK in the 80's and 90's, period.
He is also an uber-gentleman. He remembered Marcos from having met the evening before and asked after some things they had talked about. 
Josef Leberer was once Ayrton Senna's physical therapist, now working for Red Bull, and an extremely charming man.
Paul Stodddart, the man who gave Webber a break, trying to hide the fact that he's holding a fag
Our family fave, Rubinho, let me pretend to be his minder for a few paces. "Move aside folks, Rubes has a plane to catch". If I really want to be a hardball minder, perhaps I should stop grinning like a goof.
German Timo Glock whose name in Irish is pronounced "Tim O'GLock". Driving for Richard Branson's new super team, which designed it's F1 car with a fuel tank too small. Fly Virgin, they're safe. No, really...Coming soon, pics of Jackie Stewart, Ian Thorpe and Mark Webber's Dad, Allan!
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