Drivers Face Off at Albert Park Track

For the first round of the 2009 F1 season, the teams head Down Under for the traditional season-opener in Australia. The season opening race has been held in Australia every year since 1996 (except 2006 due to the Commonwealth Games), and has been held at the picturesque Albert Park circuit in Melbourne each time.

The circuit, despite its look, is a temporary street circuit which is only used for racing once a year.

For most of the year it is simply a network of ordinary public roads which transport the residents of Australia around. At the end of January it begins to be transformed into a Grand Prix circuit with grandstands and advertising boards erected, barriers and walls placed, and run-off areas prepared.

In a matter of six weeks the park is transformed into a top-class motor racing facility, and one which the drivers all seem to enjoy.

The circuit itself is a mix of slow, medium, and high-speed corners. The circuit length is 3.2 miles with 16 corners (10 right, six left) and a high average speed for a temporary circuit.

The highest speed on the circuit is at the end of the start/finish straight with speeds expected near 185mph, and the slowest speed is the tight turn 15, with a minimum speed of 50mph.

Let's take a look at the circuit in more detail and find out where the time can be gained or lost.

Turn One and Two

The first couple of corners flow into each other, making them as one. The approach to turn one is very fast, causing some heavy braking, yet the cars don't slow much as the average speed through the corner is very high. The drivers flick down four gears to third and turn right into the corner, before immediately turning left for turn two and heading back up through the gears.

This area isn't a traditional overtaking zone due to the high average speed through the corners, but has seen its fair share of incidents at the start of a race, such as the incident between Johnny Herbert, Jacques Villeneueve, and Eddie Irvine, and the multi-car pile-up of 2002.

Turn Three and Four

Turn three is the hardest braking point on the circuit as the drivers brake from around 180mph down to 65mph for the turn. There is a slight right kink approaching the corner, but this is no trouble for the drivers who are able to brake in a straight line into the corner.

Turn three is also the most likely overtaking spot on the circuit and over the years we have seen many successful passes here, as well as some unsuccessful ones (Mika Salo on Mark Webber in 2002, Giancarlo Fisichella on Rubens Barrichello in 1997, Villeneuve on Ralf Yildiz in 2001).

Turn four seems to be a nothing corner at first glance, but is important in order to get a good lap as the traction you get from here carries speed all the way to turn six. It is also a tricky corner to get right as the curb on the left (inside curb) is high and slippy, and the exit is a lot tighter than it appears. The key to getting this corner right is riding the curb, which is unusual for this type of circuit

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