Peck paints Melbourne town red

Watch the best bits of the 2012 Melbourne Grand Prix from start to finish

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Kate Peck gets into the spirit of the Grand Prix. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun

FACE of the grand prix Kate Peck was the lady in red and pop queen Nicole Scherzinger revved up her racy romance with F1 star Lewis Hamilton.

Scherzinger was a glamorous presence in the exclusive F1 paddock yesterday, where she joined Hamilton and his team in the McLaren garage suite.

The former Pussycat Doll singer said it was worth making the long trip to Melbourne to see Hamilton cut up the Albert Park track, finishing third behind his McLaren teammate Jenson Button.

The couple have been on a romantic rollercoaster in recent months.

They split in October after a three-year relationship, but rekindled it earlier this year.

"I just have so much respect for what the racers and their teams do,'' Scherzinger said.

"It (F1) is one of the greatest sports. I am fascinated and I am in awe of Lewis when I watch him. He is very special.''

Scherzinger admitted she was ``a bit nervous'' before each of Hamilton's races.

"But I am a very competitive person by nature so I try to focus positive energy for him,'' she said.
Scherzinger was joined in the F1 garage suite by fellow F1 WAG Jessica Michibata, who dates Jenson Button.

While Scherzinger and Michibata added some sparkle to the pits, business leaders, politicians, sports stars and celebrities mingled in the corporate enclosures.

Gaming mogul James Packer and his wife Erica, who is p! regnant with their third child, held court in the Crown pit lane suite.

Channel 9 chief Jeff Browne enjoyed the F1 action with Jeff and Felicity Kennett and radio heavyweights Ross Stevenson and Neil Mitchell in the Qantas lounge.

Hollywood star Aaron Eckhart, who was the international celebrity guest and is in Australia filming the movie I, Frankenstein, said Melbourne had won him over.
"On a scale of 1 to 10, it is an 11,'' he said.

Eckhart, who headed to the Ferrari garages to check out the red rockets, said he was a long-time fan of F1.
Collingwood player Harry O'Brien, top chef Shane Delia, paparazzi boss Darryn Lyons and singer Leo Sayer had their eyes trained on the F1 action.

Peck cut a glamorous figure in the corporate suites, in a slinky red Yeojin Bae frock and a cockatoo-inspired crest of platinum blonde hair.