The Formula One paddock descends on Australia at an unprecedented time of the season.
Albert Park, the traditional curtain raiser since 1996, has of course been moved to a one-off April date, in order to avoid clashing with Melbourne's successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games. That means this weekend is the first time the Australian Grand Prix hasn't either opened or closed an F1 season since its addition to the calendar in 1985.
1990 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide © LAT |
Despite first coming to the world championship schedule only ten years ago, Albert Park played host to Formula One machinery as long ago as 1953, when races were run in the opposite direction to today.
The 1956 event was won by Stirling Moss aboard the legendary Maserati 250F, and it was the last time the Australian GP was held there until 1996. In the next 27 years, the race was held at no fewer than twelve other venues, before Adelaide became its permanent home.