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Formula 1 Heineken Australian Grand Prix 2022 Race Start Image, Albert Park Street Circuit, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Image credit to Dan Istitene - Formula 1 via Getty Images. 2022 Canadian GP Preview, 2022 Australian GP 2035. 2022 Belgian GP Preview, Belgian Grand Prix Preview. F1 2023 Calendar, Formula 1 2023 Calendar, F1 2023 Season, 2023 F1 Calendar. 2023 Australian GP Preview, F1 Australian GP Preview, Formula 1 Australian GP.
2023 Australian GP Preview – After Sergio Perez lead team-mate Max Verstappen to a Red Bull one-two finish under the lights at Jeddah with the latter making an excellent recovery drive from 15th on the grid, round three of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the great city of Melbourne on the streets of Albert Park for the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023. This is the 26th year that Melbourne has hosted the Australian Grand Prix and the 37th time the Australian GP has been part of the Formula One calendar. The event also sees feeder series the FIA Formula 2 and 3 World Championships hit the Albert Park Street Circuit for the first time.
2023 Australian GP Preview – A look at the Albert Park Street Circuit
The Albert Park circuit with its spectacular backdrop is a temporary street circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a few kilometres south from central Melbourne. Despite the track being run on public roads, it has characteristics of a permanent racing circuit considering its fast, flowing nature combined with extensive runoff in many corners.
The circuit itself uses everyday sections of road that circle Albert Park Lake, a small, altered lake (originally a lagoon formed as part of the ancient Yarra River course) just south of the city of Melbourne. The road sections that are used were rebuilt prior to the first event in 1996 to ensure its consistency and smoothness. As a result, compared to other circuits that are held on public roads, the Albert Park street circuit has quite a smooth surface.
The track is considered to be fast and easy to drive; drivers have commented that the consistent placement of corners allows them to learn the circuit very quickly and achieve competitive times.
Each year, most of the motorsport infrastructure, trackside fencing, pedestrian overpasses, and grandstands are built approximately two months prior to the race weekend and removed within six weeks after the event. Land around the circuit (includes a large aquatic centre, a golf course, Lakeside Stadium, some restaurants and rowing boathouses) has restricted access during the event weekend.
The Albert Park Circuit had undergone changes in the months before the return of the Grand Prix in 2022, which were touted as the most major changes since the inaugural 1996 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Several drivers were consulted on the changes to the layout.
Corners 9 and 10 were completely revised, where they used to form a right–left chicane with a heavy braking zone on the approach to it. Now the redesign saw it become a much quicker right–left sequence. This change was made to raise the approaching speeds for turns 11 and 12. Several other corners were modified to encourage overtaking, the most notable being turn 13, which has been widened to create more racing lines. Positive camber was also added to the corner to allow the drivers to carry more speed through the corner. The Walker Straight and pit-lane were also redesigned, with the pit-lane wall moved two metres closer to the track so the edge of the circuit sits directly next to the wall.
The pit-lane modification was made in response to Daniel Ricciardo’s opening-lap accident in 2019, where the Australian ran wide at the start, running onto the grassy verge and hitting an unsighted culvert, which destroyed the front wing and the undertray of his Renault R.S.19 racer, forcing him to retire from his home race. As a result of the changes, Australian Grand Prix officials applied to sport’s governing body, the FIA to raise the pit-lane speed limit from 60 kph (37.28 mph) to 80 kph (49.71 mph).
A change such as this one would be significant, as the Formula One pits sit next to the Supercars support race paddock, creating one of the longest pit-lanes on the F1 calendar. These changes were originally planned to be made after the race. However, the cancellations allowed Australian GP organisers to make the changes in advance. Further changes, such as the track being resurfaced with a tarmac compound designed to wear tyres out quicker, were planned to take place after the race in time for the 2022 event.
The circuit runs in a clockwise direction and is 5.278km (3.280 miles) in length with 14 corners.
The race distance is 306.124km (190.216 miles) in length with 58 laps in total.
Charles Leclerc holds the fastest lap record on the streets of Albert Park set last year with 1:20.260 in his Scuderia Ferrari F1-75.
Michael Schumacher and Lex Davison are tied for most Australian Grand Prix victories with four apiece.
Ferrari is the most successful Constructor at the Australian Grand Prix, with 13 victories.
2023 Australian GP Preview – Onboard Pole Lap of the Albert Park Street Circuit
Here is the onboard pole lap of the Albert Park Street Circuit set at last year’s event by Charles Leclerc in his Scuderia Ferrari F1-75 racer, with the Monegasque driver posting a blistering 1:17.868. You can watch the video right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkOIdLpi150
2023 Australian GP Preview – The Last Five Winners
2022: Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari. 2021-20: Not Held. 2019: Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1. 2018: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari. 2017: Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari. 2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1.
2023 Australian GP Preview – Tyres
Pirelli will be bringing with them to Albert Park, the C2 (White) Hard compound, the C3 (Yellow) Medium tyre and C4 (Red) Soft compounds along with the green-branded Intermediates and Blue side-walled Full Wets in-case of rain. This will be the first time since 2018 that non-consecutive tyres will be used.
Drivers will have eight sets of the softs, three sets of the mediums and two of the hards.
2023 Australian GP Preview – DRS Zones
There will be four DRS Zones for the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023 weekend. The first detection point is 45 metres after turn six with the first activation zone 140 metres after Panel 11, the second activation point is 100 metres after turn ten. The second detection zone is 90 metres before turn 13 with the third activation point 30 metres after turn 13. The final DRS zone is 30 metres after the second corner.
2023 Australian GP Preview – Pitlane Speeds
Pitlane speeds will be 80km/h in all Practice sessions, Qualifying and the Race.
ICYMI – Saudi Arabian GP Race Report: Perez clinches fifth-career victory
Sergio Perez lead from Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen to take a comfortable victory at the Saudi Arabian GP as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso scored his 100th podium in Formula 1 by taking third.
When the 50-lap Saudi Arabian GP began, Alonso dived ahead of pole-sitter Perez into the opening corner whilst the other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll overtook Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz around the outside at turn 13.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri lost the front-wing end-plate on his MCL60 racer and was forced to pit.
After the opening tour Alonso lead from Perez, Mercedes’ George Russell, Stroll with Sainz fifth, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon sixth and Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton holding onto seventh.
The other McLaren of Lando Norris also was forced to stop for a new front wing.
On lap three, Alonso was hit with a five-second time penalty for starting a little outside is starting grid slot with the Spaniard replied with “copy”.
On lap four, Perez retook the lead from the penalty-hit Alonso with DRS assistance on the main straight into turn one
On the fifth tour, reigning world champion Verstappen who started the Grand Prix from 15th made his way up into 12th passing Haas F1 Team’s Nico Hulkenberg.
A replay also showed that Piastri’s broken front wing came from contact with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
On the ninth lap, Perez was in the lead, whilst Alonso was keeping close to the Red Bull with the latter pushing to build the gap ahead of third-placed Russell, which is over five seconds and thus would hold position when serving his five-second time penalty.
On the 11th tour, Alonso was told by his Aston Martin team that the hard tyre “isn’t looking great” and that they were extending and only started to drop back from race-leader Perez.
Lap 12, Red Bull reported to Perez that his front-right is a concern, after his massive lock-up passing Alonso on lap four. The Mexican was over 2.6 seconds ahead of the double world champion, as Verstappen flew past Hamilton on the main-straight into eighth place continuing his charge.
On the 14th tour, second-placed Alonso reported his tyres felt good and running in fresh air, with nearly four seconds to race-leader Perez out in-front.
On lap 17th, 12th-placed starter Charles Leclerc was up into fourth for Ferrari, with Verstappen behind him as Stroll stopped out on track with an issue bringing out the safety car.
On lap 18, the drivers took advantage of a free pit-stop during the safety car window as race-leader Perez came in with Alonso also stopping and serving his five-second time penalty.
On the 19th tour it was Perez leading from Alonso with Russell third, Verstappen up into fourth with Sainz fifth and Hamilton finding his way ahead of Leclerc.
When the Grand Prix went back to green on lap 21, Perez comfortably broke away from Alonso and was two seconds clear by the end of the tour.
On lap 24, Russell could not hold Verstappen up any longer as the latter flew past the Mercedes into turn 27 using the slipstream with DRS assistance.
At halfway distance, It was a Red Bull one-two as Perez lead from now team-mate Verstappen who made his way by Alonso with the Mercedes pairing of Russell and Hamilton in fourth and fifth respectively.
On lap 28, Perez was leading from team-mate Verstappen by 5.2 seconds, both on nine-lap C2 harder compounds, whilst further back, Russell was holding Mercedes team-mate Hamilton at bay, which was helping out Alonso who was 1.5 seconds ahead of the Silver Arrows in third.
On lap 29, Williams Racing’s Alexander Albon was the second retiree to go with Stroll’s AMR 23.
With 20 tours remaining, race-leader Perez posted the fastest lap showing he was not going give this one up without a battle as his team-mate Verstappen was not cutting the gap down as quickly, whilst Alonso was a distant third and Hamilton fell out of DRS range from his team-mate Russell in the battle for fourth.
On lap 34, Leclerc was unhappy cruising behind his team-mate Sainz, both on the C2 white side-walled harder compounds and with team orders unlikely, sixth and seventh is not what the Scuderia would expect from this Grand Prix, especially since it’s pretty much on merit.
With 15 laps remaining, Verstappen was starting to take a couple of tenths from his race-leading team-mate Perez, but not enough with the gap sitting at 4.8 seconds.
On the 37th tour, second-placed Verstappen was reporting a “weird noise”, with the Red Bull team closely monitoring the situation, especially after the driveshaft issue yesterday as the gap went back up to 4.7 seconds.
With ten tours remaining, Red Bull asked Verstappen if the issue was still there and the Dutchman responded, “it’s still there”, but was told to keep going whilst his team-mate Perez out-front was complaining about a long brake pedal.
With six laps left, the fight to the finish between the Red Bull’s was in motion, and now told that Perez can push by the team, the gap went back up to 4.7 seconds, whilst Alonso was having a bit of a quiet race in third and if he finished there, he’d be able to claim his 100th podium in Formula One.
On lap 48, Perez now lead by six seconds to team-mate Verstappen. Meanwhile, the battle down the back between the McLaren duo was heating up, as Norris is told not to make it too difficult for team-mate Piastri, despite Norris being on much better C3 medium tyres.
Perez crossed the line to take the Saudi Arabian GP victory by 5.355 seconds over team-mate Verstappen who grabbed the fastest lap bonus point as Alonso secured the final podium place and his 100th in the sport.
Alonso initially lost his third placed finish following an investigation from the stewards for having his five-second time penalty in the pits served incorrectly and was hit with a ten second penalty to his race time relegating the Spaniard to fourth, but the race stewards reversed their decision and gave the Spaniard back his podium spot.
The Mercedes duo of Russell and Hamilton were fourth and fifth respectively as the Ferrari’s followed with Sainz and Leclerc taking sixth and seventh on the classification.
BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Ocon finished ahead of his team-mate Gasly in eighth as Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top ten.
Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda finished outside the top ten in 11th and in-front of the second VF-23 Haas of Hulkenberg and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu who was 13th.
The other AlphaTauri AT04 of Nyck de Vries ended his race 14th and ahead of McLaren pairing Piastri and Norris who were 15th and 17th respectively as Williams’ Logan Sargeant split the MCL60’s.
2023 Australian GP Preview – The Situation
Formula 1 returns down under to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, with Sergio Perez looking to keep his momentum going after scoring a victory over Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen last time out in Jeddah.
Red Bull are in a solid place with both Perez and Verstappen taking a win each heading into round three of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season.
Verstappen leads Perez in the Driver’s Championship by one point courtesy of the fastest lap he took in Saudi Arabia, but his Red Bull team-mate will be pushing for his title as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso follows them closely, hoping to turn two podiums into more success for the Silverstone-squad.
Meanwhile, Mercedes and Ferrari have so far appeared to be a step back, both teams are hoping this would be the weekend where they can begin to start closing the gap to the dominant Red Bull.
McLaren will be looking for the vital support boost from the Australian crowd for rookie driver Oscar Piastri who enters his home Grand Prix and give them the motivation they need to get off the rear of the World Constructor’s Championship table.
All eyes will be focused on Piastri as the Melbourne-born racer pilots at home for the first time since replacing fellow-Australian Daniel Ricciardo at the Woking-based outfit.
Reigning world champion Verstappen heads to Melbourne on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 44 points and a one-point lead over Red Bull team-mate Perez who is second on 43 points, whilst Alonso is a further 14 behind the Dutchman in third place on 30 points.
Oracle Red Bull Racing returns to Albert Park sitting on top of the World Constructors Championship with 87 points and a 49-points advantage over nearest rivals Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team and Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team who are second and third respectively and tied on 38 points whilst Scuderia Ferrari are fourth on 26 points.
Click here for the 2023 Formula 1 World Driver’s (Top 10) and Constructors Championship Standings
The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023 weekend begins Friday March 31 with Free Practice One and Two, followed by Free Practice Three and Qualifying Saturday April 1 and concluding with the 58 lap Race Sunday April 2.
