The AustralianGP has provided plenty of drama and excitement since it joined the F1 schedule in 1985. Here are some of our writers' favourite races:
arrival on the Formula 1 schedule as a fully-fledged world championship round in 1985. Indeed, Lewis Hamilton's two wins in 2008 and 2015 mean he's still one behind Roberto Moreno's treble at Calder Park between 1981 and 1984!
The first crucial moment came when Prost was forced in for a tyre change due to a puncture on a day when going through non-stop seemed possible. While Prost began a charge from fourth, Piquet made his way back into second and Mansell settled once more into third. Senna led from pole, ahead of McLaren team-mate Gerhard Berger and the Ferraris of Nigel Mansell and Prost. Making a stellar start from seventh was Benetton’s Nelson Piquet, who quickly outbraked Jean Alesi’s Tyrrell at Turn 4 to grab fifth: “Good news to see Nelson looking like he really means business,” noted James Hunt in commentary.
Mansell made a huge lunge at the hairpin on the last lap, which almost took them both out, but Piquet held on to score his penultimate F1 victory, the 22nd of his career, and his first back-to-back wins since his final championship year in 1987. The Australian Grand Prix was also the second in succession, as it switched from finale to season-opener. But it had a new stage, with Melbourne replacing Adelaide. That race was also the birth of the now familiar start procedure: five red lights, then out.
Schumacher would likely have completed the podium, but retired around half-distance with brake issues. His team-mate Eddie Irvine thus took third on his Ferrari debut, the Ulsterman having survived a ham-fisted overtaking attempt by new Benetton man Jean Alesi.Irvine scored his first win for Ferrari on a day that both McLarens broke downTwo fires, two stalling champions, and an Eddie Irvine victory.
The new one-shot qualifying format, which required teams to set their times using the fuel they would carry for the start, contributed to several drivers starting out of position. An overly conservative Coulthard, unhappy with his McLaren's twitchy handling, was a lowly 11th while team-mate Raikkonen elected to take a pitlane start instead of the 15th position he'd been landed in after a scruffy lap - but crucially with dry tyres and a heavy fuel load for a one-stopper.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Live: F1 Australian GP commentary and updates – FP1 & FP2 | Live text | Autosport.comG'day one and all! It is nearly time for first practice at the AusGP 🙌 If you can't wait, follow the live build-up to the F1 action here ⬇️
Read more »
Live: F1 Australian GP commentary and updates – FP3 & Qualifying | Live text | Autosport.comThe 2023 F1 season heads to Australia with Red Bull in the ascendency after extending its 100% winning start to the year following Sergio Perez’s victory in Saudi Arabia.
Read more »
Winners and losers from the 2023 Australian Grand Prix qualifyingThe qualifying session for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix is in the books so here are the winners and losers of the event.
Read more »
Scot amongst protestors spared jail over ‘reckless’ Grand Prix track invasionThe group from Just Stop Oil climate change protesters avoided prison after invading a track at Silverstone risking “serious harm” to Formula One drivers and marshals.
Read more »
Just Stop Oil protesters spared jail after British Grand Prix track invasionLouis McKechnie and Joshua Smith were among five campaigners who were dragged off the circuit at Silverstone as two Formula One cars passed close by
Read more »