AustralianGrand Prix

Albert Park is the second street circuit we visit this year, after Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

The circuit was resurfaced in 2022, with metallic elements added into the aggregate to improve grip, but the track itself can be rather bumpy as it’s a public road when the F1 circus isn’t in town.

Track evolution is high and the need for braking fairly low, which often means we see long stints on the hard Pirelli tyres.

The circuit had lots of big changes when Australia was missed from the calendar for two years because of concerns with the coronavirus pandemic, with seven corners getting upgraded.

The transformations, which included the removal of a chicane and widening of the circuit at key parts, were done to aid more overtaking and help with faster speeds. As a result, George's front-row qualifying time last season was 3.5s quicker than Lewis’ pole lap in 2019.

Safety Cars are common at Albert Park and last year’s event had three red flags – the most ever seen at a single Grand Prix. It’s also a location that is known for its party atmosphere, with fans flocking to the events in their hundreds of thousands.

Usually, it’s hot and sunny in Albert Park, but it has been known to chuck it down with rain. Qualifying in 2013 was heavily disrupted as a result of the weather, with half of the session having to take place on the Sunday morning before the race.

Free Practice 2 was also impacted by the wet weather last year, and light rain showers are forecast for Saturday morning this weekend!