About the Formula 1 race Melbourne, Australia

Circuit/Race info - Formula 1 - Melbourne, Australia

2007 sees the return of the Australian GP as the season opener.
Albert Park is a street circuit, just outside the central business area near the beachside district of St. Kilda. The circuit is smooth but can be quite dusty and is fairly low-grip and tough on brakes. Drivers approach the first corner at more than 300 kph. The development of the circuit was strongly criticised by environmentalists who protested about the use of parkland. The race now draws a crowd of around 400,000 over the four days. The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a street-based circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a couple of kilometres south of central Melbourne.

The circuit utilises everyday sections of road that circle Albert Park Lake, a small man-made lake just south of the Central Business District of Melbourne. The road sections that are used were rebuilt prior to the inaugural event in 1996 to ensure consistency and smoothness. As a result, compared to other circuits that are held on public roads, Albert Park is quite smooth as a racing surface and picturesque as there are only a few other places on the Formula 1 calendar where there is a body of water close to a racing track.

As a racing track of interest to drivers, it is considered quite fast and relatively easy to drive, drivers having commented that the consistent placement of corners allows them to easily learn the circuit and achieve competitive times. However, the flat terrain around the lake, coupled with the track design, means that the track is not conducive to overtaking or easy spectating unless in possession of a grandstand seat.

Each year, the track is erected from approximately 4 weeks prior to the event and taken down within 2 weeks after the event. Land around the circuit (including a large aquatic centre, a golf course, a football stadium, some restaurants and rowing boathouses) have restricted access on the weekend of the event. Dissent is still prevalent among residents around the track area and some still maintain a silent protest against the event. Nevertheless, the event is immensely popular in Melbourne and Australia.

Region

Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3.6 million (2001 census) in the Melbourne metropolitan area and 69,670 in the City of Melbourne (which covers only the central city area). The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "we gather strength as we go." Melbourne was the capital city of Australia from 1901 until 1927.The city was named after the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, whose home was near the village of Melbourne in Derbyshire. Melbourne in Derbyshire derives its name from the Old English for Mill Stream (Mylla Burne) Melbourne has twice ranked first in a survey by The Economist of The World's Most Livable Cities on the basis of its cultural attributes, climate, cost of living, and social conditions, once in 2002 [1], and again in 2004. In 2005, however, it was ranked 2nd, behind Vancouver, Canada. The US's Utne Reader puts it thus: "Add a long tradition of civic pride, communities of new immigrants from around the world, and the best food in Australia, and you have a recipe for what many claim is the hippest city in the Southern Hemisphere" (Nov/Dec 2001).Melbourne has undergone a major urban 'revival', such that it is sometimes classed as being in a second tier of "world cities"; the GaWC study group in the UK ranks Melbourne, on the basis of relative availability of specialised "advanced services" as a "minor world city" comparable to cities such as Montreal, Osaka, and Prague. It has one of the highest numbers of international students studying in its universities, after London, New York, and Paris. A resident of Melbourne is referred to as a Melburnian.

History info - Formula 1 - Melbourne, Australia

Fernando Alonso won the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne in an incident-filled race day, as the safety car had to be called out 4 times. Jenson Button started at the front but could not keep his position from Alonso's constant attack, problems with cold tyres and finally having his engine blown up at the last lap. He was not the only one that has retired in a spectacular fashion - Michael Schumacher ran wide at the exit to the final turn and destroyed his car in an accident opposite the pitlane - bringing the safety car out again in the process. Kimi Raikkonen arrived second and Ralf Schumacher came third, being benefited from both Juan Pablo Montoya and brother Michael Schumacher's retirement.

Winner + pole + fastest lap Melbourne Australia

2006 winner: Fernando Alonso, Renault, 1:34:27.870
Pole Position: Jenson Button, Honda, 1:25.229
Fastest lap: Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren - Mercedes, 1:26.045

Historic info Melbourne Australia

Australia became part of the F1 world championship in 1985 with the last race of the season held on the street circuit in Adelaide. The circuit, whilst not as ridiculously tight as Monaco, was notoriously tough on drivers and gearboxes. The most famous race there was undoubtedly the 1986 event, where Nigel Mansell, and Nelson Piquet in a Williams, and Alain Prost in his McLaren were still competing for the title. Mansell needed only third to guarantee the title, whilst Prost and Piquet needed to win and for Mansell to finish lower than third to take the title. Whilst leading comfortably with a few laps to go, Mansell's Williams suffered a spectacular mechanical failure, with a rear tyre puncture at very high speed near the end of the main straight creating a huge shower of sparks as the floor of the vehicle dragged along the bitumen surface. Mansell fought to control car and steered it to a safe stop. Prost took the lead and won the race and the championship. Prost himself came incredibly close to failure, as his vehicle came a halt on his warm-down lap, out of fuel.
In 1996 the race was shifted to a rebuilt Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne. The race was struck by tragedy in 2001, when a flying tyre from a crash between Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve flew through a gap in the barrier fence and killed a volunteer track marshal.
The 2002 event saw the best performance by an Australian driver when Mark Webber, in the uncompetitive Minardi, finished an unlikely fifth, holding off a fast-closing Mika Salo in a much faster Toyota. He and the Australian-born team owner Paul Stoddart became instant national celebrities well beyond the motor racing world, the minor placing receiving far more attention in Australia than Michael Schumacher's win.

Listings of past winners / team

2006 Fernando Alonso Renault
2005 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault
2004 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2003 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes
2002 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2001 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2000 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
1999 Eddie Irvine Ferrari
1998 Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
1997 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes
1996 Damon Hill Williams-Renault

Travel info - Formula 1 - Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport handles international services and is some 21 km form the city centre. Fast interconnecting route gives taxi journey of approx. 20 minutes. There is also a half-hourly bus service. International flights arrive at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, 22 kilometres north west of the city. There is a regular bus service and taxis from there to the city centre are inexpensive.

How to get to the track (and back)

The public transport is very good. The trams are free between city and circuit!
NOTE: normal tram fares apply on other tram routes that operate past the circuit.
Some bus services will take you to bus stops close to the Circuit, whilst other services will take you to the City, where you can catch the tram or train services to the Circuit.

Parking options

There will be a RESTRICTED PARKING ZONE Grand Prix: non residents will not be permitted to park close to Albert Park.

Where to stay

Just look in Melbourne. You are bound to find a hotel that suits your wishes. Please use our hotel guide for booking.

Tickets info - Formula 1 - Melbourne, Australia

General information
Every year for the last decade or so, the leafy, inner suburban open space, also known as Albert Park, gets transformed into a state of the art racing track. As a consequence all stands are built up for the occasion which means the quality is limited, although all stands should offer bucket seats. As with the stands all facilities are also built up for the event so the quality of the restrooms is variable. Refreshments are available everywhere and all stands are no more than a couple of minutes away provided you entered through the designated entrance (check your ticket). For the General Admission ticket holders different viewing mounts are available around the track.

Viewing quality
Most of the grandstands are situated at the start - finish area. Schumacher, Senna and Prost stands at the last corner, Fangio and Moss on the main straight and Jones and Brabham at the first corner. All these stands offer an excellent view. The most popular stand is the Jones stand at the end of the straight. The remaining two stands are Clark and Waite at the other side of the lake. Of these two Clark offers the best view (corner 9). At various other locations there are hospitality areas.

Prices
Ticket prices for the Australian Grand Prix are amongst the most expensive F1 events. This is partly because of the exchange rate to the Australian dollar that is not favourable to the US dollar or the Euro and the fact that the stands pretty much sell out every year. The prices Jones and Brabham at around 500 Euros are steep but they are at the most interesting part of the track. Senna and Schumacher and even Piquet offer seats at a more decent price of around 300 Euros. General Admission is not really expensive compared to other events.

Best Deal
The best deal on F1 tickets for the Australian Grand Prix is the Moss stand. Located at the pitlane exit it offers a view of the starting grid and pit lane and just a bit of the first corner. At these prices (of around 330 Euro) this stand offer the best deal for the Melbourne GP.