We’re ahead of schedule, say Oz organisers

The first of three Boeing 747 cargo planes carrying cars and spares touched down at Melbourne's Avalon Airport at 08:05 local time on Sunday (21:05 GMT Saturday). The plane had flown in from Italy and contained Minardi and Sauber's cars, but not Ferrari's, which are expected to arrive by scheduled flight on Monday or Tuesday - in theory, a considerably more expensive option. But Ferrari being Ferrari...

The bulk of the remaining teams' machines will arrive on two more Jumbo jets from the UK's Stansted airport during the course of Sunday. The two flights will include all seven UK-based teams' gear, plus Prost Grand Prix's cars and equipment.

First cars were expected at the Albert Park circuit late on Sunday or early Monday morning.

Speaking to Autosport on Friday, Australian Grand Prix chief executive John Harnden said he was pleased with the way preparations for next Sunday's (March 4) race were going.

"We are well on schedule with our preparations," he said. "In fact I would say we are between half a day and a whole day ahead. That may not sound very much, but when you think that the event starts in six days' time, it is a lot.

"I'm very happy with the way things are going: our aim every year is to be bigger and better than the previous season, and I think we are going to do that."