Three notable facts from the previous F1 Australian Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix has been on the Formula 1 World Championship calendar since 1985.

Until 1995, the race was held in Adelaide on a street circuit. Since 1996, it is the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne that has taken over.

1994, a controversial title

At that time, it is the Australian Grand Prix that serves as the finale of the championship. After a season as closely fought as it was tragic, it is Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher who come to settle the score to claim the world title in this final race.

The Englishman drives for Williams Renault and the German drives for Benetton Ford. Both are in search of their first world title.

The two champions are separated by one point in the championship, in favor of the German driver, who also has more victories. Therefore, Hill must score two more points than Schumacher to secure the title.

The duel that raged throughout the year 1994 continues from the first moments of the race. The two drivers quickly widen the gap with their pursuers until their first pit stop, which they both make in the same lap. At the end of the stop, Hill puts a lot of pressure on Schumacher who makes a mistake, goes off track without major consequences, despite hitting a wall. He comes back on track pushing the Williams Renault off the inside of a right turn while Hill was trying to pass him. The collision cannot be avoided. Both drivers retire, and this is how Michael Schumacher clinches his first title. A controversial first title that will lead to more similar maneuvers from the German driver.

History will also remember Nigel Mansell’s last victory, called upon by Frank Williams to replace David Coulthard for the final races of the season. He becomes (and remains) the oldest driver to have won a race, and allows Williams to retain the constructor’s title.

1998, a controversial victory

In 1998, the designer of the McLarens is none other than the famous engineer Adrian Newey. Having arrived from Williams in 1996, he had all the leisure to study the 1998 regulations during the year 1997 when he was not allowed to work for another team.

This year, and since 1996, the Australian leg takes place in Melbourne and is held as the opening round of the championship.

The public discovers two black and grey single-seaters which serve as scarecrows. Never before had a team been so dominant.

Thanks to their success in Jerez during the final round that consecrated Jacques Villeneuve in 1997, the men of Woking enabled Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard to finish the race with a one-two finish but most importantly with a lap ahead of the rest of the pack.

The pit stop was the result of a miscommunication between Mika Hakkinen and his team, as he returned to the pit lane without any need for a scheduled stop.

As he was dominating the race and was on track to secure his second Grand Prix victory, except for a very common mechanical failure at the time, he was forced to give up his seat to David Coulthard.

To restore the original order, McLaren ordered the Scotsman to slow down in order to secure for him that first place synonymous with victory. This did not sit well with the spectators…

2002: Two local heroes, for a 100% “Aussie” celebration

For the 2002 season, it was the local hero who made a strong impression. Indeed, in his first F1 season, Mark Webber was a driver for the modest Minardi team (now Racing Bulls). The Scuderia Minardi, based in Faenza, was in decline and had just been bought by the businessman Paul Stoddart, also Australian.

At the end of a brilliant race, which was also marked by numerous retirements, Mark Webber managed to finish the race in 5th position. Imagine Guanyu Zhou finishing in the same position on Sunday to realize the performance. And at that time, only the top six scored points, even though there were 22 drivers on the starting grid.

It was thus that after the official podium, the race organizers invited the two Australians to celebrate their achievement and be applauded as heroes by a crowd completely supportive of their cause.