© Vladimir RysReturn Of The Track: Albert ParkAfter a two-year absence Formula One is heading back to Australia, so we thought we should have a look at why we love the Australian Grand Prix.
ItwasonlytwoyearsagothatwewerelastintheAlbertParkpaddock,butwehavetogobackto2019forthelasttimeMelbourneheardtheroarofF1carstearingitaroundthecircuit.
Albert Park is a fan, team and driver favourite, so we’re going to take a look back at the history of the Australian Grand Prix and why we love it so much.
The Last Time We Were On Track Was Back In 2019© Vladimir Rys
The Australian Grand Prix dates all the way back to 1928, where it was held on Philip Island. However, it took until 1985 for it to become classified as a Formula One Championship race. Before it become part of the championship, it was held at 21 different locations.
For the first official championship race in 1985, the Australian Grand Prix was held on the Adelaide Street Circuit. The 3.78km track was challenging, tricky and demanding, but quickly became a race the drivers enjoyed. Keke Rosberg, racing for Williams, took the chequered flag at the inaugural race.
The Australian Grand Prix spent 10 years in Adelaide before moving to Albert Park in 1996. The move was thanks to Melbourne businessman Ron Walker, who lobbied from 1993 for it to be moved.
When it did move, the 1995 and 1996 Australian Grand Prix were only four months apart. Adelaide always held the last race of the season, and Melbourne was to host the first race of the following season.
Formula One Moved To Melbourne Back In 1996© Vladimir Rys
For the majority of the year, most of the Albert Park track is a two-way public road, apart from a small section, which is a car park. It takes two months to set up the trackside fencing, pedestrian overpasses, grandstands, and the remaining infrastructure and six weeks after the race to clear it all away again.
The 16-turn track remained relatively unchanged for the first eight years of racing there. In 2004 the pit lane chicane was removed and after the last race in 2019, the track has had some modifications.
Seven corners were changed last year, with two corners taken out altogether. Turn one has been widened by 2.5-metres to help with better overtaking opportunities. Turn three has also been widened by four metres. Turn six is wider with the inside of the turn moved by 7.5 metres. This change will create the largest speed change on the track. The chicane at turns nine and 10 has been removed altogether, creating the longest straight on the circuit. Turn 11 (which used to be turn 13) has also had significant changes. Ross Gregory Drive has been realigned with a slight extension of Lakeside Drive to create a tightened corner, which is three metres wider on the inside. Camber changes to turn three, 11 and 13 to provide multiple driving lines, as well as a slightly widened pit lane, to complete the modifications.
When the teams race in 2022, they will be faced with a 14-turn (down by two) track with a lap-length of 5.279km (down 0.024km).
You Know It's Not The Same As It Was - Melbourne Has A New Layout For 2022© Getty Images
As a team we love racing in Australia, race day crowds often exceed 100,000 fans, and we’ve always been close with our Aussie fans thanks to Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo. Fun fact: the Team has only raced in Australia three times (not including 2022) without an Australian driver behind the wheel.
In 2005 it was not only the first Australian Grand Prix for the Team; it was our first ever Grand Prix! It was a statement of intent and showed we weren’t just making up the numbers. David Coulthard brought his RB1 home in P4 and Christian Klien finished P7, both claiming points for the team.
It took until 2011 for the team to claim its first podium in Australia, Sebastian Vettel won the season opener by 22 seconds, with teammate Mark Webber finishing P5.
Vettel took second the following year and third the year after. Then there were a few lean years in Australia until 2019 when Max took P3 in the first race for the Team using a Honda engine.
On Top Down Under© Vladimir Rys
Now that we’re heading back to a modified track with the new regulations, it will be a race worth watching, especially after Max’s win in Saudi Arabia and Checo taking P4.
The action begins at 04:00GMT on Friday. Keep up with the latest from the weekend right here.
