Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit facts for kids
| Albert Park | |
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An overhead view of part of the circuit as viewed from the Eureka Tower observation deck
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| Location | Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Time zone | GMT +10 (GMT +11 DST) |
| Coordinates | 37°50′59″S 144°58′6″E / 37.84972°S 144.96833°E |
| Major events | FIA Formula One Australian Grand Prix |
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| Length | 5.303 km (3.30 mi) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:24.125 ( Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004) |
| Original circuit | |
| Length | 5.027 km (3.124 mi) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 1:50.0 ( Stirling Moss, Cooper, 1958, Formula Libre) |
The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a special race track in Melbourne, Australia. It's called a 'street circuit' because it uses regular roads around Albert Park Lake. This lake is just a short distance south of Melbourne's city center. Once a year, this circuit becomes a thrilling racetrack for the famous Australian Grand Prix and other exciting races.
Circuit Design and Features
The race track uses everyday roads that go around Albert Park Lake. This lake is man-made and sits just south of Melbourne's main business area. Before the first race in 1996, these roads were rebuilt. This made sure the track was very smooth and even for the race cars.
Drivers often say this track is quite fast and easy to learn. The corners are placed in a consistent way, which helps them get good race times. The land around the lake is mostly flat. Also, the track doesn't have many long, straight sections. This means it can be tricky for drivers to overtake other cars during a race. To see the whole track, you usually need a grandstand seat.
Every year, a lot of temporary structures are built for the race. This includes fences along the track, walkways for people to cross, and grandstands for spectators. All this building starts about a month before the Grand Prix weekend. Everything is then taken down about six weeks after the event finishes.
During the Grand Prix weekend, some areas around the circuit have limited access. This includes a swimming center, a golf course, a football stadium, restaurants, and boathouses. Some people who live nearby are not happy about losing access to the park during this time. However, most people in Melbourne and Australia enjoy the event. This is partly because many people in Australia have a strong interest in motorsport.
History of the Circuit
Albert Park is special because it has hosted the Australian Grand Prix in two different ways. It has held races that were part of the World Championship and races that were not.
Before the big 1996 Grand Prix, a slightly different version of the circuit was used. This happened for the 1953 and 1956 Grands Prix. Back then, the cars raced around Albert Park in an anti-clockwise direction. Today, the Grand Prix circuit runs clockwise.
Images for kids
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A satellite view of the circuit just before race weekend 2018
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The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit old layout in December 2017, while open to the public
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Start of the 1953 Australian Grand Prix.
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The 2014 Australian Grand Prix, viewed from the Eureka Skydeck
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See also
In Spanish: Circuito de Albert Park para niños
