Toto Talks Australia
We’ve been hard at work since Jeddah building on the learnings from the first two races. It’s encouraging to see the potential in the W15 but there are also clear areas of improvement. We have looked competitive in low and medium speed corners but high-speed has been a weakness so far. We have been working hard to understand why our performance hasn’t reflected our expectations. Improving that is a major focus. We hope to make some initial progress for Melbourne, and that work will guide our development in the weeks ahead. It’s great to feel the energy and determination running through the factories as we work to unlock the potential of the car.
We left points on the table in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. We started off each weekend strongly, running our usual practice programmes, but couldn’t deliver on that initial promise. With the chasing pack being so close, maximising the potential of the car each weekend is key. Albert Park gives us another chance to show what we can do. It is a great circuit in a great city, with a passionate and vocal fan base, and we look forward to returning.
Fact File: Australian Grand Prix
The Albert Park Circuit, modified prior to 2022 and thus shortened to 5.278 km, is a temporary track partially run on public roads. As part of the modifications two years ago, new tarmac was laid.
In a change from last year, Pirelli will be bringing the softest tyres in their range to Australia this year: the C3, C4, and C5.
Last year, the tyre selection was one step harder with the C2, C3, and C4 compounds being used.
Melbourne has the second shortest pit lane on the calendar at just 281 metres. Cars therefore spend only about 13 seconds at pit lane speed – that is the least amount of time spent in the pit lane of any across the year.
Formula 2 will join Albert Park’s support race schedule for the second consecutive season. We will therefore see junior driver Kimi Antonelli in action Down Under, racing for PREMA as he continues his debut season in the series.
There is a considerable time difference (11 hours) between Melbourne and the team back at Brackley and Brixworth supporting remotely, adding another level of challenge to the weekend.
Albert Park is one of two venues to host the Australian Grand Prix, along with Adelaide.
Our team has tasted success four times in Melbourne (Nico Rosberg in 2014 & 2016, Lewis Hamilton in 2015, and Valtteri Bottas in 2019)
The season-ending 1995 Australian Grand Prix and the season-opening 1996 Australian Grand Prix is the only time in F1 history that consecutive races have had the same title.
Albert Park is a unique, rare combination of street circuit and permanent racetrack.
The fast-flowing Turn 9, Turn 10 sequence is a crucial part of the lap for the driver, and is where plenty of time can be gained and lost.
With 72% of the lap time, and 79% of lap distance, spent at full throttle, Albert Park ranks third highest of any circuit on the calendar judged on both these metrics.
