Welcome! It is last week in March and first days of April already and we have our third race of this season – Australian Grand Prix. It is one of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia. It has moved frequently with 23 different venues having been used since its first run in 1928.
Okay, let´s get into some basic info:
The Australian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event held in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the Formula One World Championship, which is the highest level of single-seater auto racing in the world. The race is typically held in March, and it marks the start of the Formula One season.
The first Australian Grand Prix was held in 1928, making it one of the oldest motor racing events in the world. However, the race did not become a part of the Formula One World Championship until 1985. Since then, it has become one of the most popular events on the Formula One calendar, attracting thousands of spectators from all over the world.
The race is held at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, which is a street circuit that winds its way through the city's Albert Park. The circuit is 5.3 km long and features a mix of high-speed straights, tight corners, and sweeping bends. The track is known for its challenging layout and its fast, flowing corners, which require drivers to be at the top of their game to achieve competitive lap times.
One of the most significant features of the Australian Grand Prix is its unique atmosphere. The race is held in the heart of Melbourne, and the city comes alive with excitement and anticipation in the days leading up to the event. Fans from all over the world flock to the city to experience the spectacle of Formula One racing and to soak up the carnival atmosphere that surrounds the event.
What about some facts:
The Australian Grand Prix is a Formula One race held annually in Melbourne, Australia.
The first Australian Grand Prix was held in 1928 at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria.
The race has been held at various locations around Australia, including Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney, before settling in Melbourne in 1996.
The race is usually held in March as the first race of the Formula One season.
The current circuit for the Australian Grand Prix is the Albert Park Circuit, which is a street circuit around Albert Park Lake in Melbourne.
The circuit is 5.3 km long and features 16 turns.
The lap record for the circuit was set by Michael Schumacher in 2004 with a time of 1:24.125.
Australian driver Jack Brabham is the most successful driver in the history of the Australian Grand Prix, with four wins between 1955 and 1960.
The most successful team in the history of the Australian Grand Prix is McLaren, with 12 wins.
Now let´s get into the race itself:
Qualifying - Saturday 1st April 2023
In the first segment, Sergio Pérez experienced a technical issue that caused him to lock up and get stuck in the gravel trap, resulting in a red flag. He was unable to set a competitive time and was subsequently knocked out of the session, along with Oscar Piastri, Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant, and Valtteri Bottas.
During the second session, Lando Norris went into the gravel but was able to rejoin the track. However, he, along with Esteban Ocon, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen, and Nyck de Vries, were knocked out of the session.
In the third and final session, Max Verstappen had some minor issues with his car, but he still managed to secure pole position. George Russell took second place, while Lewis Hamilton qualified third.
Charles Leclerc, who qualified seventh, was disappointed with his performance and criticized his own driving. He admitted that he wasn't on top of his game, didn't drive well, and failed to put everything together, accepting that it was his own fault.
Race day - Sunday 2nd April 2023
Let´s start with: This race was a mess!, cause it´s true. This race was full of red flags, penalties and overtakes. Let´s look deeper into it:
George Russell grabs the lead after the first corner as the race in Melbourne gets started! A few turns later, HAM passes VER as Mercedes gets off to a great start!
LAP 1- SAFETY CAR! After STR bumped LEC, the race was finished. Another stroke of ill luck sees the Monegasque driver beached in the gravel trap.
LAP 3 - We're back in motion! RUS´s re-start is incredibly powerful, giving him a lead of almost a second. OCO, BOT, PER are among the drivers who pitted for hard tires and may attempt to finish the race.
LAP 6 - VER does the fastest lap of the race, intent on regaining his position. He nevertheless continues to trail RUS and HAM, the Mercedes duo.
More racers, including RUS, the current leader in the race, have stopped by for hard tires.
LAP 7 - SAFETY CAR. The second safety car of the race has been brought in due to ALB loss of control and collision. The Williams driver, who had a promising P7, should be disappointed. He has exited the vehicle and is unharmed.
RUS is now stranded in P7, which is a harsh blow. However, when the race restarts, his Mercedes teammate HAM will have the top spot.
RED FLAG: The race director has requested a red flag due to the pile of gravel and debris left behind by Albon's crash. The cars are about to head back to the pit lane.
LAP 9 - We're back in motion, and HAM maintains his advantage. RUS has progressed to P5. After colliding with OCO, DEV momentarily went airborne and veered off the course, but he is still competing.
LAP 12 - VER grabs control.
LAP 18 - Virtual Safety Car. Since RUS´s power unit appeared to malfunction and catch fire, he is no longer in the running. The young British man exits the vehicle without incident, but it's obvious that he's dissatisfied after such an impressive start.
LAP 23 - PER has managed to get into the points despite the fact that the race is still only halfway over. making the most of Red Bull's incredible DRS pace.
LAP 37 - SAR is the first driver to head back to the pits for brand-new tires.. Will any more drivers pit for a fresh set with 20 laps left?
LAP 41- A tasty fight for the podium positions is starting... SAI, who finished in fourth place, is over a second behind ALO, who finished in second place just over HAM. Additionally, GAS is still just behind them.
LAP 46 - PER is still unstoppable. The Mexican driver, who commenced from the pit lane, is now in P7. He has more than four seconds to catch up to STR, the next driver in his sights.
LAP 48 - VER experiences an uneasy moment and runs onto the grass after locking his tires. Although he still has a significant lead, he seems upset on the radio.
LAP 54 - SAFETY CAR Despite having his right rear tire totally fall off, MAG was still able to get to the side of the track. But because his tire is on the track, a safety car has been dispatched.
RED FLAG: Once more to guarantee that there would be racing activity to conclude the race, the drivers have been pulled in. When we do resume, there will be two laps remaining to complete.
LAP 57 - Absolute carnage after the restart. Before the Alpine duo of GAS and OCO meet and violently crash into a barrier, several cars collide in a chaotic first corner.
A third red flag is displayed, so there are no surprises.
5 minutes after the red flag: Though a lot occurred during that restart, here is what we have observed thus far: - GAS locks up at Turn 1; - ALO is touched from behind by SAI and ends up on the grass; - SAR drives into the back of DEV, and both drivers end up on the gravel trap - OCO strikes GAS's rear just a few seconds later, sending both of them into the wall.
LAP 58 - done with safety car - VER is joined on the podium by HAM and ALO, who make up an odd group of point-scoring drivers.
What a race, right?
UPDATE NEWS:
Sainz and Ferrari wrote petition about penalty during Australian GP and it has been finally accepted by FIA. The meeting will be held virtually on April 18th. So get ready for some updates.
Until then, do you agree with FIA, does Sainz really deserve penalty?
I do not think that this is right. If someone can do something and not get penalty and later another drivers does similar thing and gets penalty, gets it during a lap that is not counted. The drivers standing get restarted like before this lap but penalty stays? Does it make sense... to me, no.
It is a lot to think about.
Now we have almost 3 weeks of until the next GP, which will take place in Azerbaijan!
Until the next race,
LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO!
See ya,
Natalie Kika
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