MOTORSPORT: Australian F1 GP a sell-out

Formula 1 returns Down Under as fans hit the stands and cars hit the track today

A sell-out weekend crowd has turned the 2022 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix into a winner even before the first cars hit the track at Albert Park today.

The two-year F1 drought is over and, thanks to a fresh battle at the front of the field and all-new cars, interest in the Down Under derby is as high as it was in the earliest days of the Melbourne street race.

Local fans are also keen to see if Daniel Riccardo can turn things around at McLaren, how Aussie youngster Oscar Piastri looks in Alpine colours as he takes the next step towards racing at home in 2023, and if Lewis Hamilton can get back on track with his underwhelming new Mercedes-AMG racer.

There is a good chance the final attendance at the AGP could rival the 401,000 record set back in 1996, despite some limitations on the number of people allowed into the Albert Park precinct because of the fear of COVID.

They will also have four Supercars sprint races with the chance that someone – anyone – will lift enough to genuinely threaten defending champion Shane van Gisbergen.

James Courtney is celebrating his 500th Supercars start but the oldest driver in the field is unlikely to challenge SvG, with most focus on reigning Bathurst champion Chaz Mostert in a WAU Commodore, fast young Anton De Pasquale in a Shell Mustang and fellow Ford fighter Cam Waters.

Changes to the circuit layout at Albert Park are promised to provide closer racing for all categories – including the biggest Carrera Cup field in the history of the Porsche championship – and more overtaking chances particularly at the end of the high-speed back straight.

GP teams will also have to consider a new track surface that is intended to be tougher on their new 18-inch Pirelli racing rubber and perhaps require more pitstops during the race.

Melbourne has always been a Ferrari town and, apart from ’96, the best turn-outs for the grand prix were in the glory years when Michael Schumacher painted the circuit in racing red.

This year, as Ferrari surges back to the front of the field with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Albert Park is expected to be draped in Ferrari flags and packed with excited fans.

Leclerc has already opened his season with a win in Bahrain, when Sainz followed him to a Ferrari 1-2, and backed it up with second in Saudi Arabia to lead the championship.

That’s one of the best things about the AGP in 2022, as there have already been two races in the Middle East and that’s ramped up the excitement and also provided a solid form guide.

In the past, as pole position on the calendar, the AGP was a deep-dive into the unknown with the prospect of unreliable cars and rusty drivers.

This time around, with Ferrari doing so well and even the cars using its V6-hybrid power units showing unexpected speed – with solid points for Haas and Alfa Romeo – there is a chance for a race that’s more than just a high-speed procession.

The power balance has shifted with the introduction of E10 fuel as part of a greener drive in F1, but the big difference for ’22 is the new-look cars which use less-complicated aerodynamics to generate speed while allowing for closer racing.

Mercedes-AMG has been the early loser from the change, struggling with a car that is tough to tune for speed without creating nasty bouncing on the straights, and Hamilton has also battled against his new teammate George Russell.

The new addition to the Silver Arrows squad has been solid in fourth and fifth, while Hamilton was only 10th in Saudi Arabia after a promising third in Bahrain.

“We are in a learning race and the first two weekends have shown we still have plenty to learn. At the moment, our track performance is not meeting our own expectations,” admits Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes-AMG squad.

“There won't be a magic fix for the next race weekend, but we're pushing to steadily bring gains over the up-coming races, to hopefully move us closer to the front of the pack. Until then, we need to maximise each opportunity and make the most of the package we have.”

Still, Wolf – like everyone in F1 – is happy to be back at Albert Park.

“Now we head back to Melbourne for the first time since 2020 and will be racing in Australia for the first time in three years – that's too long for a city and country that are so passionate about F1. We're looking forward to seeing the fans and the new track layout which promises more overtaking opportunities and faster lap times,” he says.

That’s also the view from the controversial new world champion, Max Verstappen, who arrives as a last-start winner from Saudi Arabia.

“It’s been a while. The atmosphere is always so good there,” Verstappen says.

“It will be interesting to see the track updates, I think they will make quite a big difference, especially in Turn 6. There should be more overtaking opportunities now which is always positive.”

2022 Australian F1 GP timetable:

Friday
1:00pm – F1 practice
4:00pm – F1 practice

Saturday
1:00pm – F1 practice
4:00pm – F1 qualifying

Sunday
1:00pm – F1 driver parade
3:00pm – Australian Grand Prix