Australian grand prix boss Travis Auld isn’t kept up at night by your usual major event issues, like marketing, or ticket sales. The Formula 1 grand prix is too popular for that.

But what does cause Auld to toss and turn is a party.

Specifically, the grand prix launch event known as Glamour on the Grid, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on Wednesday night and has gradually evolved into something closer to a safari for social media influencers than a celebration of the world’s richest and fastest sport.

Melbourne once did this sort of thing better than almost anyone.

Before Glamour on the Grid, there was GP @ 23; the launch party at Crown’s Club 23, famously owned by the late Shane Warne. And before that was the Grand Prix Ball – a black tie affair created by the late Ron Walker.

The Victorian premier would present the trophy to the reigning world champion – as John Brumby once did for Fernando Alonso – and the guest list read more like the Cannes Film Festival than a corporate networking function. Hollywood royalty turned up; the drivers actually attended. Naomi Campbell used to fly in, for goodness’ sake!

Australian Olympian Peter Bol was among the guests.Credit: Eddie Jim

It was elegant, exclusive and unmistakably big league – and it’s exactly what Auld would like the launch event to be again.

Somewhere along the journey, however, the guest list expanded to about 800 people and the paddock started filling with a very modern Melbourne archetype: the B-grade influencer, or Binfluencer.

© WA Today