This is one of the tracks where there is a reasonable amount of track evolution. Between first practice and qualifying, with a similar fuel load, the track can be up to three seconds per lap quicker. The weather can be blistering hot one day and freezing cold the next. There have been race weekends with 14ºC during qualifying and 40ºC during the race. It can change very quickly, and you have to set the car up to be able to cope with both.
Normally at this time of year it’s in the mid-twenties and very pleasant, which causes no trouble at all, but you do have to keep one eye on the forecast as it can change rapidly. This affects not just engine temperatures and so on but also how you use the tyres. If there’s a chance that the temperature may significantly rise or fall you have to have a compromise between qualifying and race setup.
TURNS 1 + 2
The end of the straight is the fastest section of the track, with speeds of 300kph achieved. There’s then significant braking into turn 1. The gravel trap at the end of the start-finish straight sees a lot of action over the weekend. It’s particularly attractive to cars on the first lap.
TURN 3
Turn 3 offers a good overtaking opportunity.
TURNS 11 + 12
The high speed chicane of turns 11 and 12 is taken in excess of 200 kph, with a reasonable kerb providing an extra challenge.
TURNS 13 - 15
This final sector is relatively low speed compared to the rest of the track; conversely, there’s a good amount of gain to be made here.
TURNS 15 + 16
The last two turns, 15 and 16, are where you want the car to work best. These are very slow, and are where the most lap time can be gained from the car. If you increase grip through here by 5% you see a difference of around 0.2s per lap which is huge.
Tech Talk
1. REAR WING
Relatively high levels of downforce are required for Albert Park so the car runs with a lot of rear wing. Not to Monaco levels, but comparable amounts to Barcelona and Silverstone.
2. BRAKES
It’s a circuit that is medium to high in terms of brake wear. Certainly nowhere near as fierce as Canada, but it won’t be a track where we have our smallest brake ducts on.
3. SUSPENSION
A reasonably soft car is required to be able to maximise the grip potential from the slippery Albert Park surface. Set-up evolves over the weekend to match the improving track surface, as the park roads grow into a race track through cars racing on them for the only time in the year. As a counterpoint to the requirement for a soft car, there are sufficient change of direction requirements to need a stiffer set-up to aid responsiveness. It’s important to have a strong front end, as understeer is potentially the main factor. Although there are some sections where good traction is important the priority is to have good turn in and change of direction through the chicanes.
4. TYRES
Medium and soft compounds. It’s not a circuit that’s particularly hard on tyres.
5. FRONT WING
Proportionally more front wing is used as a counter to the low-grip nature of the track which can provoke understeer.