2017 F1 Preview; Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park

Formula One is back! Well we have missed it here at Driving For Pleasure and we hope you have too. The 2017 Formula One season is born with brand new rules that are among the most revolutionary in recent history. For example, there are new rules governing race starts (where the drivers will have more clutch control) and re-starts after safety cars in wet conditions (from the grid).

Alongside this the Pirelli tyres are now 25% wider and cars around five seconds per lap faster (compared to 2015) which could be a new tyre philosophy for 2017: with less degradation and fewer peaks of temperature. This then allows all the current Formula 1 drivers to push hard during every stint.

From Australia to Spain, teams will have identical tyre allocations from Pirelli. With seven sets of the softest compound available, four sets of the middle compound, and two of the hardest compound. In Australia, Pirelli have selected the ultrasoft, supersoft and soft (in order) (with Pirelli takes the ultrasoft compound to Australia for the first time).

The Albert Park Circuit utilizes everyday sections of road that circle Albert Park Lake, a small man-made lake just south of the central business district of Melbourne. The temporary street course is 5.3 kilometers long. With a total of 16 corners with 10 right turns and 6 left turns; the direction is clockwise and the engines are running about 65 percent of the lap at full throttle.

The highest speed on the circuit is at the end of the start/finish straight with speeds over 300 km/h. The track offers few genuine overtaking opportunities, except if the driver ahead makes a mistake.

With the Albert Park circuit being a semi-permanent track that is always 'green' and dirty at the start of the weekend, we will see teams and drivers improve and get faster throughout the weekend. With the circuit having hard acceleration and braking: longitudinal forces are greater than lateral ones. There are also lots of slow corners; with the emphasis on mechanical grip and high downforce.

The Left-rear tyre is worked hardest, even though the track surface doesn't affect the tyre wear or degradation of the Pirelli tyres at all. Weather-wise, anything can happen with the weather: from bright sunshine to torrential rain which could spice up the action this weekend.

Here's the facts and figures going into this weekend-

Facts and Figures

•Albert Park has hosted the Grand Prix in Australia since 1996
•Laps: 58.
•Track length: 5.303 km.
•Tyre allocation: Medium (white), Soft (yellow) and Supersoft (red).
•DRS Zones: Two with one detection point (Pit Straight and between Turns Two and Three).

•Driver steward: TBA.
•Lap record: Michael Schumacher – 1:24.125 (Ferrari; 2004).

•2016 pole: Lewis Hamilton – 1:23.937 (Mercedes).

•Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at the track with four wins
•Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen are the most successful drivers currently at the track with two wins each.

•McLaren is the most successful constructor to win the Grand Prix with twelve wins.
Last Five Winners from the Australian Grand Prix:-

• 2012-Jenson Button
• 2013-Kimi Raikkonen
• 2014- Nico Rosberg
• 2015- Lewis Hamilton
• 2016- Nico Rosberg

Sky Sports F1 are showing uninterrupted coverage of every Practice session, Qualifying and race for the Grand Prix (and every race of the season) and Chanel Four also are showing coverage, details for both are below:-

•Sky Sports F1:- Friday (Practice 1 and 2) 12.30am and 4.45am [Replays throughout Friday], Saturday (Practice 3 and Qualifying) 2.45am and 5am [Replays throughout Saturday], Sunday (Race) 3.30am

• Channel Four :- Saturday (Qualifying highlights) 1.00pm, Sunday (Race Highlights) 2pm
Driving For Pleasure will be covering the Australian GP weekend with Practice, Qualifying and Race reports as well as the latest news.

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa