RICCIARDO BACKS HEAVILY REVISED ALBERT PARK F1 LAYOUT FOR 2021
McLaren man says his home Australian GP will be rejuvenated by new faster layout
McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo has given a thumbs up to the tweaks to the Albert Park layout which he says will make for a more dramatic Australian Grand Prix.
The configuration of the track has remained unchanged since it first appeared on the Formula 1 roster on 1996 but will undergo changes ahead of the 2021 event, due to take place on November 21. As well as being resurfaced for the first time, the track will be tweaked on seven corners in a move that could increase the average speed of the venue by up to 10mph.
The circuit will be widened at Turns 1, 3, 6, 13 and 15, with the last two of those due to feature new camber to increase grip. The most significant alteration comes at Turns 9 and 10, which were previously a chicane. These will now be smoothed out into a long right-hander, which will present the chance for another Drag Reduction System zone.
The length of the circuit will drop slightly from 3.3 miles 3.25 miles as it will be reduced from 16 corners to 14. It is estimated that lap times will lower by five seconds.
Perth-born Ricciardo, who is racing for McLaren, said: “It’ll make the racing closer, I’m pretty confident of that. Sundays and making race days more exciting for everyone, that’s what we all want and I think these changes are in the direction of what we want.
Better races, more battles – the changes are going to push us towards that.”
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive officer Andrew Westacott said: “These circuit modifications mean faster racing, with plenty of new opportunities for drivers to battle it out. While the project will make for more exciting racing, it also enhances the roads and surrounding facilities for community use beyond the event for years to come.”