Australian Grand Prix 2026

Albert Park Circuit is the home of the Australian Grand Prix, laid out on the normally public roads that loop around Albert Park Lake, just south of central Melbourne, Australia. Formula 1 arrived in 1996, taking over from Adelaide, and the race has often opened the world championship season. Grandstands, fencing and other infrastructure are put up for each event and removed afterwards, yet the lap itself ranks among the faster ones on the calendar.

A major revision before the 2022 race removed the old Turns 9 and 10 and widened several corners, leaving 14 turns and a faster, more flowing lap. Because the roads carry everyday traffic for most of the year, the surface starts each weekend green and slippery, then gains grip quickly as rubber is laid down. Concrete walls and gravel traps sit close to the track, so mistakes are often costly.

• Hosted non-championship Australian Grands Prix in 1953 and 1956 on an earlier layout.
• Melbourne took over the Australian Grand Prix from Adelaide in 1996.
• A redesign for 2022 cut the lap to 5.278 km and 14 turns.

What to watch for: Track evolution on the green public-road surface and the risk of Safety Car or red-flag interruptions near the walls can swing strategy, while the first chicane offers a prime overtaking chance.