The season kicks off with the Australian GP scheduled for 13th to 15th March. As we get ready, here is everything you need to know.
The Australian Grand Prix will entail 58 laps of the 5.303-km Grand Prix circuit in Melbourne for a total race distance of 307.574 km.
Schedule
Track time
DAY | EVENT | TIME |
13 March | Practice 1 | 12:00 – 13:30 |
Practice 2 | 16:00 – 17:30 | |
14 March | Practice 3 | 14:00 – 15:00 |
Qualification | 17:00 – 18:00 | |
15 March | Race | 16:10 – 18:10 |
The race will take place in Albert Park, Melbourne. Going down the historic road, the first Grand Prix to be held in Melbourne was in 1996. The lap record in Melbourne was set back in 2004 by Michael Schumacher.
Here are other additional details of the Melbourne Grand Prix circuit:
Establishment
The decision to let Melbourne host a Formula 1 race was made back in 1993. The circuit integrated existing roads such as Aughtie Road and Lakeside Drive around Albert Park.
The First Grand Prix in Melbourne
As the '95 season came to an end in Adelaide, it took a few months before the next season began. It was the very year (1995) that Adelaide hosted its last Australian Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 teams convened in Australia the next year (1996) for the very first Melbourne Grand Prix. Martin Brundle’s Jordan crash at Turn 3 remains the most remembered incident of that race.
The Circuit
Albert Park circuit poses some challenges for the racers. For one, the track can be bumpy and is also sometimes slippery. The track has some spots that necessitate the racers to have a reactive front end. The rapid Turn 11-12 chicane is perhaps the best illustration of why the circuit needs a well-sorted chassis.
In an F1 calendar, the Melbourne circuit is among the fastest. Lewis Hamilton recorded a speed of 235km/h in his 2019 pole lap.
Melbourne is considered one of the best cities in the world. It is a vibe throughout the year.
The Formula 1 race makes the year even interesting. The city lies close to the beach and has no shortage of bars and restaurants.
The Australian Grand Prix is held just when autumn is taking over. The temperatures during this time are right.
Watching Spots
To get in a grandstand, you can get tickets for the Waite Stand that overlooks Turn 12. You can also choose the Brabham Grandstand outside Turn 2. It allows you to enjoy the sight of racers fighting for position through the first chicane.
To get the F1 picnic experience, you can opt for the beautiful general spots on the far side of the lake.
F1 Drivers 2020
Except for two teams, the rest have fielded unaltered line-ups for this year’s season. Esteban Ocon returns into action with Renault after a year out. Nicholas Latifi, who’s with Williams, will be looking to get his feel of the season.
As we get into the 2020’s Melbourne Grand Prix, let’s have a look at the results from last year. Here is the Driver & Constructor Standing as per the end of last season.
Drivers' Standing
| POS | DRIVER | NAT | CAR | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes | 413 |
| 2 | Valterri Bottas | FIN | Mercedes | 326 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing Honda | 278 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 264 |
| 5 | Sebastian Vettel | GER | Ferrari | 240 |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | McLaren Renault | 96 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 95 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | THA | Red Bull Racing Honda | 92 |
| 9 | Daniel Ricciardo | AUS | Renault | 54 |
| 10 | Sergio Perez | MEX | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 52 |
| 11 | Lando Norris | BGR | McLaren Renault | 49 |
| 12 | Kimi Raikkonen | FIN | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 43 |
| 13 | Daniil Kvyat | RUS | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 37 |
| 14 | Niko Hulkenberg | GER | Renault | 37 |
| 15 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 21 |
| 16 | Kevin Magnussen | DEN | Haas Ferrari | 20 |
| 17 | Antonio Giovinazzi | ITA | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 14 |
| 18 | Romain Grosjean | FRA | Haas Ferrari | 8 |
| 19 | Robert Kubica | POL | William Mercedes | 1 |
| 20 | George Russell | GBR | William Mercedes | 0 |
Constructors' Standing
| TEAM | POSITION | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes | 1 | 739 |
| Ferrari | 2 | 504 |
| Red Bull Racing Honda | 3 | 417 |
| McLaren Renault | 4 | 145 |
| Renault | 5 | 91 |
| Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 6 | 85 |
| Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 7 | 73 |
| Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 8 | 57 |
| Haas Ferrari | 9 | 28 |
| William Mercedes | 10 | 1 |
GP Results for 2019
| GP | DATE | WINNER | CAR | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 17-03-2019 | Valterri Bottas | Mercedes | 58 |
| Bahrain | 31-03-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 57 |
| China | 14-04-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 56 |
| Azerbaijan | 28-04-2019 | Valterri Bottas | Mercedes | 51 |
| Spain | 12-05-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 66 |
| Monaco | 26-05-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 78 |
| Canada | 09-06-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 70 |
| France | 23-06-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 53 |
| Austria | 30-06-2019 | Max Verstappen | RB Honda | 71 |
| Britain | 14-07-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 52 |
| Germany | 28-07-2019 | Max Verstappen | RB Honda | 64 |
| Hungary | 04-08-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 70 |
| Belgium | 01-09-2019 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 44 |
| Italy | 08-09-2019 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 53 |
| Singapore | 22-09-2019 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 61 |
| Russia | 29-09-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 53 |
| Japan | 13-10-2019 | Valterri Bottas | Mercedes | 52 |
| Mexico | 27-10-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 71 |
| USA | 03-11-2019 | Valterri Bottas | Mercedes | 56 |
| Brazil | 17-11-2019 | Max Verstappen | RB Honda | 71 |
| Abu Dhabi | 01-12-2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 55 |
F1 Teams 2020
This year’s teams that will be taking part in the Melbourne Grand Prix are:
- Mercedes are fielding the same line-up, i.e., Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
- Haas team will be represented by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.
- McLaren will once again field Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.
- Alfa Romeo Racing team will be represented by Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.
- Red Bull Racing team will retain both Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon.
- Renault will be bringing back Esteban Ocon in the second position alongside Daniel Ricciardo.
- Ferrari’s team will be the same as last year’s with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc.
- Alpha Tauri’s (formerly Toro Rosso) team will be represented by Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat.
- Williams’s team will retain George Russell and, at the same time, give rookie Nicholas Latifi a taste of the Melbourne Grand Prix.
- Racing Point fields the same drivers Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll.
Elsewhere, the F1 management has been all over the Australian bushfire incident as the new year began for any threats or challenges it posed to the Grand Prix. The fire affected a large area, including Victoria State, where Melbourne is the capital city. About 200 of the 2000 homes that were destroyed are in Victoria.
Rescheduling the race would be challenging, with no other approved circuits in Australia. Besides, the season is already packed with 22 races that will take place around the world.
We do hope everything will be set before then, so there is no disruption in this year’s F1 calendar. Keep yourself posted for more F1 2020 updates and industry news from our blog section at Carpart!
Author:
Sam O.