The Ferrari P4 – Civic just got a lot more beautiful. Photo: James Coleman.
The centre of the nation’s capital is not exactly known for its serenity but the atmosphere was pierced with an extra dose of noise when the 2025 Canberra Festival of Speed launch hit town.
‘Delicious symphony’ would be a better way of putting it – composed by the collective exhaust pipes of a Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari P4 (of Ford V Ferrari movie fame), Ferrari 360, Porsche Cup car, Formula-3 Mercedes, and last but definitely not least, Harry Bates’ rally-spec Toyota GR Yaris.
All were parked outside Via Dolce as an attention grabber for the 2025 Canberra Festival of Speed – the city’s next biggest addition to the national motoring events calendar after Summernats – on the Australia Day weekend in January.
The inaugural event at Thoroughbred Park over two days in March this year drew more than 13,500 visitors. More than a quarter came from interstate – and it was clear why.
You might have expected the static displays, but a 750-metre tarmac circuit constructed expressly for the event meant you could also see – and just as importantly, hear – the owners give their cars the beans.
And what cars they were!
The glorious 6.5-litre V12 of the Lamborghini Aventador. Photo: James Coleman.
Exotic supercars, many worth millions, open-wheel racecars, F1 cars, and hundreds of them. Cameron Hill was also there with his sticker-plastered V8 Camaro as was Aussie billionaire Adrian Portelli with his personal McLaren Senna and P1.
This will only grow for the next event, on 25 and 26 January.
“I think everyone in Canberra is beginning to understand what the festival is about,” co-founder Martin Tanti said.
“There are a lot of events in Australia that are static as we see today. But to have these cars moving around a track – a purpose-built circuit – and cars from Europe that we just don’t get to see here.”
Highlights include a Ferrari F1 car, the Lamborghini Super Trofeo racecar, and as of last week, the first post-restoration appearance of a Ford Falcon EB2 and EB3 that raced together in the 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship in the hands of John Bowe and Dick Johnson. And Bates will add a rally component for the first time.
“It’s going to be very, very exciting,” Martin said.
Some changes have also been made to Thoroughbred Park following feedback from the 2024 event.
The circuit has been widened in parts to make it easier for particularly the wider-track F1 cars and other open-wheelers to negotiate, and overpasses are under construction to allow visitors to cross over into the circuit’s infield without having to wait for a pause in the action.
“We’ve also changed the format where people come in because last time there was a bit of congestion with the trade stalls and cars and pedestrians all crossing near the main gate,” Canberra Racing Club (CRC) CEO Darren Pearce said. “So we’ve moved the entrance down the far end so people come in a more coordinated way.
“We’ve also simplified the ticketing. We thought we segmented the ticketing a bit too much last time and made it a bit too complicated so now we basically just have premium and general admission categories.”
Darren said the event was “going for the same flavour, the European village feel”, but everything “bigger and better”.
“We’re looking to get growth in the cars and growth in the crowd.”
Canberra Racing Club CEO Darren Pearce, Hands Across Canberra CEO Genevieve Jacobs and rally driver Harry Bates. Photo: James Coleman.
Where Menslink was the official charity partner for 2024, the next event will kick off the Canberra Day Appeal for community foundation Hands Across Canberra (HAC), which raises funds for 350 local charities across the ACT.
HAC CEO Genevieve Jacobs said “very exciting opportunities” would be lined up as part of the event, including the chance to win laps of the circuit with Bates or Bowe, or in a “fully fashioned, absolutely schmick Batmobile” replica.
“You’ll be able to put in bids and we’ll run that right up until the Festival of Speed. I anticipate a great deal of enthusiasm,” Genevieve said.
“[The partnership is] an amazing opportunity to help out some Canberrans who are really doing it tough.
“The holiday season is a time when there are a lot of people left out, a lot of people are hungry, a lot of people are escaping violence, living with disabilities, having a tough time when all around them people are celebrating, sharing gifts, having a fabulous time.”
Tickets to the Canberra Festival of Speed 2025 are on sale online.
Original Article published by James Coleman on Riotact.
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