Williams F1

The 5.303km Albert Park track is one of the few street circuits on the calendar and therefore used by everyday road traffic when Formula One isn’t in town. As a result, drivers are faced with minimal grip levels during the race weekend’s opening sessions, combined with the recent ban on traction control, the circuit’s limited run-off areas may claim some unprecedented victims over the weekend before grip levels improve as the cars lay rubber.

On track, Albert Park blends a testing mix of short straights (on which the drivers will reach speeds in excess of 300km/h and spend 70% of the lap at full throttle), interspersed with 16 slow and medium speed corners, which will demand nearly 3,500 gear changes during the race.

Torque to power the cars out of the corners, a balanced set-up, a robust gearbox and stability under braking are therefore all essential components to achieve a successful lap during qualifying and a strong result at the Australian Grand Prix.

Technical Information:
Kilos per lap: 2.36kg/5kg
Time loss per 5km of fuel: 0.07s/lap of fuel
Vmax: 303kph
Average speed: 225kph
Average corner speed: 156kph
Turn angle: 84º
Temperatures: Ambient 24°C / Track 32°C
Greatest power reduction: 1016 mbar pressure
Pitlane loss: 17.9seconds
Pitlane length: 280m
Safety cars: 1.5 average per race

Circuit Statistics Legend
Kilos per lap: This indicates the amount of fuel required to complete a lap of each circuit normalised for a 5km lap, thereby indicating the relative fuel demands of each circuit.

Time loss per 5km of fuel: This metric indicates the relative penalty at each circuit of carrying 5km of fuel.

Vmax: The highest top speed at each circuit, one variable in the aero map for each track profile.

Average speed: Velocity averaged over the circuit distance, another variable in determining the aero map.

Average corner speed: In contrast to Vmax which indicated highest speeds achieved normally on the longest straight of the circuit, average corner speed indicates the aggregated speeds through all corners on any given circuit, providing an insight to the nature of the circuit profile.

Turn angle: Average turn angle indicates the average angle of a circuit's corners expressed in degrees. The higher the average turn angle, the more acute the corners in the circuit's configuration and the greater propensity for understeer to compromise lap time.

Temperatures: Average ambient and track temperatures have a bearing on many variables, from tyre warm-up to significant car cooling requirements. And if you need to open the bodywork for cooling, you have to consider the potential drag penalties.

Greatest power reductions: Air density has a bearing on engine power and the most influential factor in air density is air pressure, determined by the elevation above sea level.

Pitlane loss: The time lost (excluding stationery time) entering and exiting the pit lane, providing an indication of not just the pitlane length, but also its profile.

Pitlane length: The entry to exit distance of each pitlane.

Safety cars: A variety of past statistics indicates the likelihood of the safety car's possible intervention.