Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Audi unleashed the car on the streets of Melbourne to promote its Formula 1 debut at Albert Park.

Behind the wheel was Great Britain’s Allan McNish, who raced the car in Adelaide with Italy’s Rinaldo Capello and Australia’s Brad Jones.

Audi released a video paying tribute to the iconic machine, with archival footage interspersed with scenes of the car driving through iconic Australian locations.

The Audi R8 famously won the 2000 Race of a Thousand years on the streets of Adelaide.

Powered by a 3.6-litre twin-turbo V8, the Audi R8 LMP boasted 400kW (530hp) and weighed just 900kg.

At the time, Audi lauded “spectacular racing and a clear win” at the former Australian Grand Prix venue for its R8, dressed in a crocodile-themed livery.

The race was supposed to go until midnight but was stopped two hours shy of its scheduled distance. Audi completed 225 laps, with its nearest rivals 21 laps in arrears.

Australia’s Race of a Thousand Years was one of a few American Le Mans Series events outside of the United States, with the series making visits to Silverstone in the United Kingdom and the Nurburgring in Germany in 2000.

The car, which is typically on display at Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt, will make a rare appearance in Melbourne.

Interested viewers can get up close and personal with it across the weekend at the floating bar and beer garden Afloat on the Yarra River from March 5-8.

Audi will have its F1 show car on display, live screenings of Australian Grand Prix sessions, a simulator, and a cinematic 180 degree spatial film experience on Apple Vision Pro.

“Our entry into Formula 1 is not only about competing on track. It is about how we show up as a brand,” said Stefano Battiston, chief commercial officer of Audi Revolut F1 Team.

“Melbourne is one of the world’s great Formula 1 cities, and for our first race we wanted to create something open, accessible and culturally-connected.”