Albert Park Circuit facts for kids
Albert Park Circuit (2021–present)
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| Location | Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) |
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| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) AEDT (UTC+11:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 37°50′59″S 144°58′6″E / 37.84972°S 144.96833°E |
| Capacity | ~125,000 (44,000 seating) |
| FIA Grade | 1 |
| Opened | 20 November 1953 Re-opened: 7 March 1996 |
| Closed | 30 November 1958 |
| Major events | Current: Formula One Australian Grand Prix (1996–2019, 2022–present) Former: Australian Drivers' Championship (1957–1958) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (2021–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 5.278 km (3.280 mi) |
| Turns | 14 |
| Race lap record | 1:19.813 ( Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, 2024, F1) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1996–2020) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 5.303 km (3.296 mi) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:24.125 ( Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2004, 2004, F1) |
| Original Circuit (1953–1958) | |
| Length | 5.027 km (3.124 mi) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:50.0 ( Stirling Moss, Cooper T45, 1958, Formula Libre) |
The Albert Park Circuit is a special race track in Melbourne, Australia. It's called a street circuit because it uses regular public roads. These roads go around Albert Park Lake in the suburb of Albert Park.
Every year, this circuit hosts the exciting Formula One Australian Grand Prix. It also hosts the Supercars Championship Melbourne SuperSprint and other races. The track has a top-level licence from the FIA, which means it's safe for the fastest races.
Even though it uses normal roads, the circuit is designed for high-speed racing. It has special safety areas with grass and gravel. These are built each year for the races. However, some parts, like near the lake, have concrete barriers. This is because there isn't much space for run-off areas there.
Contents
Circuit Design and Features
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The Albert Park Circuit uses everyday roads that circle Albert Park Lake. This lake is just south of Melbourne's city center. Before the first race in 1996, these roads were rebuilt. This made sure the surface was smooth and consistent for racing.
Drivers often say the track is quite fast and easy to learn. The corners are placed in a way that helps them get good lap times. However, the flat land and few long straight sections mean it can be hard to overtake other cars. It's also not the easiest track for spectators unless they have a grandstand seat.
About two months before the Grand Prix, a lot of things are built. This includes fences, bridges for people, and grandstands. All of this is taken down within six weeks after the race. The area around the track has other facilities, like a golf course and restaurants. Access to these is limited during the race period.
The Grand Prix is very popular in Melbourne and Australia. It regularly attracts huge crowds. In 2024, a record 452,055 people attended over the race weekend. The main race day alone saw 132,106 fans. The current agreement for the Grand Prix to be held here lasts until 2035.
Track Changes for Faster Racing
After the 2021 Australian Grand Prix was postponed, the track was updated. One big change was to turns 9 and 10. They were changed from a slow corner to a fast, sweeping turn. The pit lane was also made wider by 2 meters (about 2 yards). Other corners, like turns 1, 3, 6, 7, and 15, were also widened. These changes made the track much faster. For example, the fastest lap time in 2022 was 2.6 seconds quicker than in 2019.
How the Public Uses the Track
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For most of the year, when there are no races, the public can drive on most of the track. You can drive in both directions, clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Some parts of the road are a bit different from the race track. For example, between turns 3, 4, and 5, a car park access road replaces turn 4. Also, the road between turns 5 and 6 is blocked off. You can still get back on the track at turn 7 by using Albert Road.
The speed limit on these roads is usually 40 km/h (about 25 mph). Some short parts allow 50 km/h (about 31 mph). This is much slower than a Formula 1 car, even when it's in the pit lane. The back part of the track, called Lakeside Drive, has two-way traffic. Overtaking is not allowed there. You might even see black swans crossing the road with their young!
History of Albert Park Racing
Early Races (1953–1958)
People tried to use Albert Park for motor racing even before World War II. The first successful race happened in 1953. The Light Car Club of Australia organized the Australian Grand Prix there.
Albert Park is special because it hosted the Australian Grand Prix in two different eras. It hosted races in the 1950s and then again from 1996 onwards. In the 1950s, cars raced in an anti-clockwise direction. Today, they race clockwise.
The original circuit was about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) long. It hosted six race meetings between 1953 and 1958. Famous drivers like Stirling Moss raced and won there.
Some of the important races included the 1953 Australian Grand Prix, won by Doug Whiteford. Stirling Moss won the 1956 Australian Grand Prix and the 1958 Melbourne Grand Prix. The last race on this original track was in November 1958. The circuit then closed for many years.
Major Racing Events
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The Albert Park Circuit hosts many exciting races.
- Current Events
- March:
- Formula One Australian Grand Prix
- FIA Formula 2 Championship Melbourne Formula 2 round
- FIA Formula 3 Championship
- Supercars Championship Melbourne SuperSprint
- Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship
- Past Events
- Australian Drivers' Championship (1957–1958, 1996)
- Australian Grand Prix Formula Libre (1953, 1956)
- Australian Tourist Trophy (1956)
- Porsche Supercup (1999)
- S5000 Australian Drivers' Championship (2022)
- Many other national racing series.
Fastest Lap Records
Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at the Albert Park Circuit, as of March 2024:
| Category | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit (2021–present): 5.278 km | ||||
| Formula One | Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari SF-24 | 1:19.813 | 24 March 2024 |
| FIA F2 |  Frederik Vesti |
Dallara F2 2018 | 1:30.712 | 2 April 2023 |
| FIA F3 |  Grégoire Saucy |
Dallara F3 2019 | 1:34.405 | 2 April 2023 |
| Supercars Championship |  Scott Pye |
Holden Commodore (ZB) | 1:46.006 | 9 April 2022 |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1996–2020): 5.303 km | ||||
| Formula One | Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari F2004 | 1:24.125 | 7 March 2004 |
| Supercars Championship | Chaz Mostert |
Ford Mustang S550 | 1:55.7280 | 15 March 2019 |
| Original Circuit (1953–1958): 5.027 km | ||||
| Formula Libre | Stirling Moss |
Cooper T45 | 1:50.0 | 30 November 1958 |
See also
In Spanish: Circuito de Albert Park para niños
- Adelaide Street Circuit
