title.circuits

Albert Park

Albert Park

The Australian Grand Prix is held on the lakeside Albert Park street circuit. Bumpy characteristics and close walls are obvious features of the race track. With grass and gravel as major obstacles, drivers have to be sharp throughout the race. The most striking sequence of corners on the circuit is the 11th and 12th, where drivers experience different G-forces in a chicane.

Albert Park

The Australian Grand Prix is held on the lakeside Albert Park street circuit. Bumpy characteristics and close walls are obvious features of the race track. With grass and gravel as major obstacles, drivers have to be sharp throughout the race. The most striking sequence of corners on the circuit is the 11th and 12th, where drivers experience different G-forces in a chicane.

History of Albert Park

The street circuit, built in 1996, has been frequently used as the first round of the Formula 1 season. The Albert Park circuit replaced Adelaide. There have been several major crashes over the years. For instance, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutiérrez experienced a major accident in 2016, while Ralf Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello also experienced notable crashes 14 years earlier.

The 2015 Grand Prix had the highest failure rate, as only 11 drivers made it to the finish. Michael Schumacher is the record holder in Australian race weekends. His time of 1:24:125 was set in 2004 and has still not been beaten. Besides, no Australian driver has ever stood on the podium at GP of Australia.

Track changes

Significant changes have been made to the circuit to make the races even more fun. Turns 1, 3, 6 and 15 have been widened, allowing for better side-by-side driving and drivers to make bold overtaking moves. In addition, the pitlane has been widened, ensuring that the speed limit goes from 60 to 80 km/h. This should motivate teams to go for a two-stop more often, so we will see different strategies. 

The most significant change can be seen at the chicane in turns 9 and 10 (before the long left turn). The organisers have removed this and replaced it with a much softer S-section, allowing drivers to continue their duels over much of the circuit.