Australia holds its
Formula One Grand Prix event at
Albert Park in
Melbourne every year, as a part of the F1 world championship. The 5.3 km long 16 turn circuit traditionally holds the first race of every new session and has been doing so since 1996. 2006 was an exception when the event had to be deferred because it collided with the Commonwealth Games.
Australian Grand Prix was shifted to its modern venue from
Adelaide in 1996. That caused a change in the racing season in Australia, since
Adelaide usually held the last race of the season.
Formula One racing has been a part of Australia from as early as 1928, but Australian Grand Prix became a part of the world championship only from 1985. In the beginning, Adelaide was the venue for the race. Later on, it was shifted to the Albert Park in Melbourne following much political and civil controversy.
Australian Grand Prix has never runs short of excitement. One of the greatest moments in Australian Grand Prix came when Mark Webber came fifth in the 2002 event in his underpowered Minardi. His taking the podium with Paul Stoddard, the owner of Team Australia, was an event that generated much national excitement. The worst tragedy struck in 2001, when a terrible accident caused the death of the 52 year old Graham Beveridge, a volunteer track marshal. Michael Schumacher remains to be the best driver of the Australian Grand Prix. It also witnessed the debut of Kimi Raikkonen and the modern British sensation Lewis Hamilton.
