Albert park Grand Prix Circuit
The Albert park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia is bound to be one of the best races this season. A hybrid of road racecourse and street circuit as well as circling Albert park Lake makes this circuit one of the most unique this F1 season.
In 1996 the Albert Park GP Circuit took over the Australian Grand Prix from the Adelaide Street Circuit. The Albert Park Circuit started with tension from the infamous Martin Brundle crash. On the first lap Martin Brundle launched off the back of Johnny Herbet’s vehicle. Martin Brundle retired from this race miraculously unhurt but with his car split in two.
The circuit itself is a temporary facility, using public roads encircling a central lake. Due to the majority of the circuit using public roads, the drivers will need to quickly adjust to the slippery and bumpy nature of the road at the beginning of the race weekend. As the roads were originally designed for standard vehicles, the materials used were designed with durability and value in mind. In comparison to road racecourse tracks which prioritise smoothness and grip. It can be argued that these abrasive roads aren’t entirely suitable for high-performance F1 cars. However to see the skilled drivers memorise and swerve around the bumps in the road is thrilling! With it's waterside views and street circuit build, it shares many similarities to the Singapore GP Circuit.
Once a year, when the Grand Prix comes along, Albert Park is kitted out with trackside fencing, grandstands, pedestrian overpasses. Outside of that time, the roads are open to the public and you can drive along the same roads as your favourite F1 heroes. Maybe don’t go as fast though!
Michael Schumacher 'Rainman' Original Acrylic available as well as Giclee Prints see here
2021 at Albert park Grand Prix Circuit
At the beginning of 2021, the Formula 1 teams were working hard to revise the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit ready for the next season. By widening many of the corners more overtaking opportunities are provided. Perhaps this will also level the playing field between newer and older drivers. Additionally, the removal of the chicane at Turn 9 and 10 has created the longest straight of the entire circuit. This change has not only provided an extra spot for overtaking but also a DRS (Drag Reduction System) zone allowing for faster acceleration and higher top speeds.
From all of these track modifications, lap times have a possibility to be reduced by as much as 5 seconds. With this in mind, this weekend we might also see a new lap record from one of the current contestants to beat Michael Schumacher’s 1.24.125 second lap record. We can't wait to see how these new changes will affect the current standings.
Read more about the Singapore Marina Bay City Circuit here