The data that shows Red Bull vs Ferrari in Australia is set for a Jeddah repeat

As in Jeddah, Ferrari swept both practice sessions on Friday in Melbourne - although Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc this time took turns in pacing FP1 and FP2. But Max Verstappen and Red Bull looked strong on race pace long-runs and, with four DRS zones in play, F1's Albert Park return could produce a similarly enthralling battle to the one seen last time out between the two teams in Jeddah

Alex Kalinauckas Apr 8, 2022, 12:52 PM

Upd: Apr 8, 2022, 1:19 PM

The majestic Melbourne mob had waited 756 days. All that time since Formula 1 cars should’ve last been running around Albert Park two years ago back at the aborted 2020 season opener. Finally, wonderfully, in opening practice on Friday for the 2022 event, they were back. And a bumper crowd was there to see it.

Here on Friday, 112,466 people packed into the Melbourne track, with bold predictions coming from F1 that the combined weekend attendance level could end up being be the biggest multi-day crowd number in Australian sporting history – even though race day itself cannot be a record due a cap on spectator numbers imposed by the race organiser.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.