|
Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix
Click here for a large map of the circuit
From a driver perspective
Turn One is a tight right-hander but the apex speed is more than 150km/h. The apex is also blind and Turn Two follows immediately after, setting up the long, flat-out run to Turn Three.
Located at the end of the first DRS zone, Turn Three is another tight right-hander that provides an opportunity for overtaking. However, it's easy to lock the front-right tyre under braking into the corner which can put you at risk of running wide into the gravel trap on the exit.
Turns Nine and 10 were spectacular corners before to the circuit alterations, but now they are more fearsome than ever. At the fastest point of the circuit, it's a small dab of brake on the entry to Turn Nine, before a second deft touch of the brake before Turn 10 and the high-speed run to Turn 11.
DRS Zones
There are four DRS zones at Albert Park this weekend.
DRS detection for zones 1 and 2 is 40m after Turn 6, with activation 130m after Panel 11 and 100m after Turn 10.
DRS detection for zones 3 and 4 is 90m before Turn 13, with activation 30m after Turn 14 and 30m after Turn 2.
Changes for 2025
The kerb at the exit of Turn 6/apex of Turn 7 has been replaced with a negative kerb and gravel has been installed.
The barrier on the left-hand side of Turn 6 has been reprofiled.
The pit exit line has been repainted in the configuration last used in 2018.
From a tyre perspective
Having "softened up" its compound choices last year, Pirelli has confirmed the same three compounds for the opening round of 2025, with the trio of C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium and C5 as Soft. However, compared to a year ago, the tyres themselves have evolved in terms of the characteristics of both construction and compound. The former has been slightly modified to handle the increased aerodynamic loads likely to be generated by the final version of the current generation of cars. As for the latter, the C3, the most versatile in terms of balance and degradation, is substantially the same as the version used for the previous two seasons, while the C4 has been modified to reduce the possibility of graining on the tread surface, as well as minimising degradation, something that has also been applied to the C5 in order to expand its use as a suitable race tyre. A fortnight ago, in the Bahrain pre-season test, the C3 did the most work, completing over two thirds of the total mileage.
Teams and drivers therefore have plenty of data relating to this tyre, which is quite similar to last year's, although they will have to take into account that the Sakhir track surface has very different characteristics to the one they will encounter in Albert Park, which explains why in Australia the C3 is the Hard, while when the championship gets to Bahrain, it will be the Soft.
Last year, the most popular strategy was a two-stop, with the Hard doing most of the work, completing 80% of all the laps, with an average stint length of 22 laps. Only three drivers opted to start on the Soft, with a longest stint of seven laps, while two drivers lined up on Hard tyres, making the Medium compound the most popular tyre on the grid, with 15 starters.
Graining made its unwelcome presence felt over the weekend, although it never really compromised tyre performance. Albert Park could be the first real test to see if the changes made, especially to the C4 and C5, will produce the expected results.
The track surface has not changed since it was renewed in 2022 and is not too harsh on tyres. The only modification to the track layout, which features some sections made up of roads usually open to normal traffic, comes at turns 6 and 7 where the barriers and kerbs have been modified, as a precautionary measure to avoid a repetition of some past accidents in this section. 5.278 kilometres long, the circuit combines fast straights with low to medium speed technical corners and some heavy braking points.
Summer is sliding into autumn at this time of year in Australia and the weather can be very changeable, with big swings in temperature from one day to the next and rain has been known to put in an appearance. That could lead to the new Full Wet making its debut: modifications include a new tread design to reduce movement of the blocks which can lead to overheating, while the compound used is closer to that found in the Intermediate, which could give it a wider operating window in crossover conditions.
There is always plenty of track action here, starting on the Thursday. Apart from Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3, there are rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup and the Australian Supercars series, so that over the four days, plenty of rubber is put down, which leads to a significant change in grip levels.
Keyword: Graining
Graining is a term used in motor racing to describe a phenomenon that occurs on the surface of the tyres. When the surface of the tyre is subjected to stresses that reach a level where the compound starts to break up, microcracks form which lead to a surface irregularity on the tread, with peaks and troughs that vary in depth depending on the severity of the phenomenon.
This graining then leads to a reduction in grip from the compound and has a significant effect on the car's performance when it is in mid-corner or under braking or acceleration. Graining occurs most commonly when track temperatures are low or when the tyres are not in the right operating window to provide grip. The circuit layout can also play its part, as can driving style and the way the car is set up. Managing graining is a vital part of strategy as it leads to tyre degradation and wear, and therefore affects the car's overall performance during a race.
Fast Facts - Provided by Mercedes
• The Albert Park Circuit, modified prior to 2023 and thus shortened to 5.278 km, is a temporary track partially run on public roads. As part of the modifications, new tarmac was laid.
• Melbourne has the shortest pit lane on the calendar at just 281 metres. Cars therefore spend only about 17 seconds at pit lane speed.
• A lap of Albert Park sees a driver make just 35 gear changes. This is the second-lowest total on the 2025 calendar after Monza.
• 71% of the lap time is spent at full throttle - also the second highest after Monza.
• The Turn 9-10 section of the lap will submit drivers to the highest Maximum Lateral G load of the season, at 5.1
• At the exit of Turn 6/Apex of Turn 7, the kerb has been replaced by a 'negative' kerb, designed to reduce the risk of accidents there seen in previous years.
• The barrier on the left-hand side has also been profiled to address this.
• The pit exit line has been repainted back to its 2018 configuration. The exit line now reaches further into the pit straight, enabling cars more run as they leave the pits.
• At 281 metres, the pit lane at Albert Park is the shortest on the 2025 F1 calendar. Cars will only spend 12.6 seconds driving through the pit lane when making a stop this weekend, quicker than any other track visited this season.
• This will be the 23rd time that Albert Park has hosted the opening Grand Prix of an F1 season, and the first time since 2019 it has raised the curtain of the F1 season.
• The Australian Grand Prix was the last race of the 1995 season, and the first of the 1996 - the only time in history the same Grand Prix has taken place in consecutive races.
• Mercedes has four wins at Albert Park. Nico Rosberg (2014 & 2016), Lewis Hamilton (2015) and Valtteri Bottas (2019)
• George made his F1 debut in Melbourne in 2019 for Williams. He scored his first podium for our team at the track in 2022.
• This will be Kimi's first F1 race, and he will be the third youngest driver to ever start an F1 Grand Prix when the lights go out on Sunday, at 18 years, 6 months, 18 days.
• There is a considerable time difference between Melbourne and the team back at Brackley and Brixworth supporting remotely, adding another level of challenge to the weekend.
|
