Melbourne

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When the F1 World Championship first came to Australia in 1985 it was based in Adelaide with an end-of-season slot. However, ex-racer Bob Jane, and premier of Victoria State, Jeff Kennett, were determined to improve the profile of Melbourne's Motorsport. In 1993 a contract was signed to move the race to Melbourne's Albert Park once the Adelaide contract expired. In 1996 Albert Park opened the F1 season much to the delight of drivers and fans.

Albert Park circuit is a temporary installation, set in a beautiful park around a huge lake just to the south of Melbourne city centre. It has now become the favourite as season opener, not least because of its warm weather, picturesque surroundings and exciting racing. As Albert Park hosts the first race of the season, it is the first opportunity to see how the new contenders fare in real race conditions!

The track makes use of existing roads surrounding the lake but is a notably smooth surface for a street circuit. The circuit is relatively fast, with 16 turns combining a good number of high and low-speed corners, as well as a couple of chicanes and over-taking areas in the brake zones.