Australian GP

Albert Park, Melbourne

Home to the Australian GP since 1996, the circuit uses roads running through Albert Park. 5.303 km in length, the track evolves bit by bit, as it rubbers in. It is particularly demanding on the brakes, with heavy braking areas followed by continual accelerations. Fuel consumption also has to be watched closely here. Narrow run off areas mean the barriers are close to the track, inevitably leading to regular appearances from Safety Car. Scuderia Ferrari has eight Australian wins to its name, the first dating back to 1987, when Gerhard Berger led home team-mate Michele Alboreto in Adelaide. Eddie Irvine won in 1999, followed by four wins for Michael Schumacher. In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won his maiden outing for Ferrari, an achievement matched only by Juan Manuel Fangio, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell.

The first corner
It’s a sort of quick right hand chicane and a dangerous bottleneck. There was an infamous accident in 2002, when Ralf Schumacher’s Williams launched itself over Rubens Barrichello’s Ferrari, leading to a massive carambolage that knocked out over a third of the field.

Turn 3
The corner comes after a DRS straight, so it’s an ideal place to try a passing move. Under braking, you need to be as far to the left as possible, while being careful not to get a wheel on the grass, as that can lead to a spin.

MEDIA SCHEDULE

Australian GP in numbers