There are hundreds of activations situated throughout the wider FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026 precinct.
Scattered among them are various car displays, with dedicated Motorsport Australia members eager to outline the benefits associated with joining a car club.
Victorian resident and Melbourne Cobra Owners Club’s Gerard Waldron is one of them.
The owner of a 1965 AC Cobra Replica by Gardner Douglas, Waldron listed a number of benefits associated with car clubs, not limited to the affordable fees associated with joining a car club.
“The camaraderie has to be up there at the top in terms of benefits,” Waldron said.
“Our club is quite small, but it’s a tight-knit community that gets a great turnout at most events that are run.
“We also get to integrate with other like-minded individuals to do things we love, things like Come and Try days with other club and parades around the state, it’s a bit of a social calendar too.”
Victoria alone has 130 car clubs to pick from. Around the country, there are almost 550 registered Motorsport Australia-affiliated clubs to choose from.
Motorsport Australia sets the standard for safe, fair and fun participation in motorsport. Whether a club is a sporting or social based car club, clubs affiliated with Motorsport Australia receive a range of benefits designed to support members, and to protect, strengthen and grow a club’s community.
Melbourne Old School Cruisers member Stephan D’Agato, and owner of a 1971 Type 3 Volkswagen, has enjoyed multiple years with his social club.
Admitting he would rather enjoy and recreationally drive his vintage machine, D’Agato enjoys spending time with his fellow car club members.
“You’re getting invited frequently to events and meeting car nuts, which when you are the same, is a great environment to be a part of,” D’Agato said.
“I’m also with the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, which is a bit larger, but it just means it’s a large community with lots of people who love cars, and by extension motorsport.
“The drive we go on at our car clubs also have a positive affect on the wider community also tends to put a smile on a lot of peoples’ faces.”
To find out more about Motorsport Australia’s Club Affiliation, head to the website.
