CIRCUIT INFORMATION AND RACE PROGRAM
THE 2008 AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX
Although a temporary installation, the Albert Park Formula One Circuit is unlike any other circuit, set in a beautiful park around a huge artificial lake, just to the south of Melbourne! Located close to the city centre and easily accessible by public tram.
Melbourne itself is a diverse mix of cultures and provides a great welcome every year, to people from all over the world. Famed for it's shopping and in particular for its variety of nightlife, including the largest Casino in the Southern hemisphere, Melbourne offers you a unique experience to be savoured. Not surprisingly, the drivers voted the Australian Formula One GP, as the best Formula 1 Grand Prix for 2004!
FORMULA ONE CIRCUIT INFORMATION
General
The organisers have mastered the art of erecting excellent circuit facilities overnight, just outside the central business area of Melbourne and near the beachside district of St. Kilda.
Albert Park is neither a full time race circuit nor a street circuit, running as it does, on purpose-made roads around the park. The parkland setting and the warm Melbourne weather, combine to make the race circuit a very pleasant venue to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix from. The track surface is as green as the surrounding park; after a year of pedestrians, cycles and horses passing over the track, the grip level is poor, although it will improve throughout the race weekend.
The circuit winds over roadways around the park and features a good combination of high-, medium- and low-speed corners, including a couple of chicanes and some rather difficult overtaking areas in braking zones.
What the drivers say
Most racing drivers love going to Australia, the atmosphere is nice, and it's usually (except for 2008), the first race of the Formula 1 season. The circuit is a mix of high-speed straights and tight corners and good brakes and grip become important factors. Overtaking is quite difficult here, with the two best overtaking chances at the end of the pits straight and through the left flick of Turn 11. The track surface is very smooth, resulting in relatively low grip, particularly at the start of the weekend. Throughout the weekend however, the grip tends to pick up rapidly and it is not uncommon for the cars to be quicker during the race through the slow corners, than they have been during qualifying. Traction is of great importance and reliability is also usually an issue.
EVENT PROGRAM AND INFORMATION
Although not yet finalised for 2008, we have however included the 2006 Formula 1 GP racing program, to give you an idea of what the event program should look like. Except for qualifying which will change from the previous two final qualifying sessions (Saturday and Sunday) to one final qualifying session (Saturday) for 2008, we do not expect any other major changes from the 2006 GP program and information below.
So please take note that the following program is the 2006 Formula 1 program information, and it will change for 2008.
THURSDAY
| 09:30 - 09:50 | Cleanevent V8 Utes Practice |
| 09:50 - 10:05 | V8 Supercar Prize-winners' hot laps |
| 10:20 - 10:40 | Dodo Formula 3 Practice |
| 10:55 - 11:15 | Michelin Carrera Cup Practice |
| 11:25 - 11:45 | The Ultimate Speed Comparison Practice |
| 11:55 - 12:15 | Repco Historic Demonstration |
| 12:30 - 13:00 | V8 Supercar Practice |
| 13:15 - 13:35 | Michelin Carrera Cup Qualifying |
| 13:50 - 14:10 | Dodo Formula 3 Qualifying |
| 14:20 - 14:30 | The Ultimate Speed Comparison Demonstration |
| 14:45 - 15:05 | Cleanevent V8 Utes Qualifying |
| 15:20 - 15:40 | Michelin Carrera Cup Race 1 |
| 15:55 - 16:40 | V8 Supercar Qualifying |
| 17:00 - 17:20 | Dodo Formula 3 Race 1 |
| 17:40 - 18:00 | Cleanevent V8 Utes Race 1 |
FRIDAY
| 09:20 - 09:30 | Gp Kart Challenge Qualifying |
| 09:38 - 09:50 | Grand Prix Rally Parade 1 |
| 10:05 - 10:20 | Repco Historic Demonstration |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Formula One Practice Session 1 |
| 12:20 - 12:35 | BMW M3 Track Attack |
| 12:45 - 12:50 | BMW Celebrity Challenge Parade |
| 12:55 - 13:15 | BMW Celebrity Challenge Qualifying |
| 14:00 - 15:00 | Formula One Practice Session 2 |
| 15:30 - 15:50 | V8 Supercar Race 1 |
| 16:05 - 16:25 | Cleanevent V8 Utes Race 2 |
| 16:35 - 16:45 | The Ultimate Speed Comparison Demonstration |
| 17:00 - 17:20 | Dodo Formula 3 Race 2 |
| 17:40 - 18:00 | Michelin Carrera Cup Race 2 |
SATURDAY
| 09:20 - 09:30 | Gp Kart Challenge |
| 09:40 - 09:50 | Grand Prix Rally Parade 2 |
| 10:00 - 10:20 | Repco Historic Demonstration |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Formula One Practice Session 3 |
| 12:10 - 12:25 | BMW M3 Track Attack |
| 12:40 - 13:00 | BMW Celebrity Challenge Parade |
| 13:10 - 13:20 | V8 Supercar Drivers Parade |
| 14:00 - 15:00 | Formula One Qualifying Session |
| 15:30 - 16:10 | V8 Supercar Gp 100 |
| 16:25 - 16:40 | Michelin Carrera Cup Race 3 |
| 16:50 - 17:00 | The Ultimate Speed Comparison Demonstration |
| 17:15 - 17:30 | Dodo Formula 3 Race 3 |
| 17:45 - 18:05 | Cleanevent V8 Utes Race 3 |
SUNDAY
| 09:15 - 09:30 | Repco Historic Demonstration |
| 09:50 - 10:10 | Dodo Formula 3 Race 4 |
| 10:30 - 10:50 | Michelin Carrera Cup Race 4 |
| 11:05 - 11:20 | BMW Celebrity Challenge |
| 11:25 - 11:30 | BMW Celebrity Challenge Parade |
| 11:50 - 12:10 | V8 Supercar Race 3 |
| 12:25 - 12:30 | Formula 1 Drivers' Photo |
| 12:30 - 12:40 | Formula 1 Drivers' Parade |
| 12:50 - 13:00 | The Ultimate Speed Comparison Demonstration |
| 13:05 - 13:19 | Pit Straight Presentation |
| 13:40 - 13:50 | RAAF F/A-18 Jet Display |
| 13:50 - 13:52 | National Anthem |
| 14:00 | FOSTER'S AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - 58 LAPS |
