Picture it, we’ll soon be heading down the Melbourne Walk surrounded by the cheering Papaya Army, the sun shining on our backs, arriving at the track for Oscar’s home race. There are few better feelings in F1.

Wheel-to-wheel racing, a passionate crowd and a stunning location, Melbourne offers it all. The Australian Grand Prix is also one of the few weekends in the season where our avid Aussie fanbase can follow all the action at a regular time of day, rather than having to tune in during the middle of the night – we think we speak for them all when we say: hallelujah! For those of you watching from the UK or Europe, on the other hand, we wish you the best of luck…

To ensure you’re all as equipped as you can be, we’ve prepared a fact file full of information, including some words from Lando, Oscar and Team Principal Andrea Stella, a guide to the circuit and the latest F1 icebreaker.

“I’m looking forward to going back to the Australian Grand Prix. It’s a fun track and the Australian fans are always an amazing crowd, it’s a great atmosphere to race in.

“Last week I was back in the factory with my engineers to go over the first two races of the season ahead of racing in Melbourne. We’ll put all our learning into practice this weekend and aim to get some more points for the team.”

“Australia, my home race! I’m so excited to be racing in front of a home crowd again. There’s no feeling like it. It’s going to be a great race week, and I’m sure that there will be an awesome atmosphere.

“We’ve had a positive start, with a P4 finish in Saudi. I was back in the MTC last week reviewing all the data to see where we can maximise our performance. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of papaya in the crowd this weekend. Let’s go!”

“We come away from the first double header of the season with good points and strong on-track performances from Lando and Oscar. It’s important we carry this momentum through whilst placing a keen focus on the areas we still need to develop, so that we’re in a position to fight for podiums.

“Melbourne is always a fantastic place to come to, and of course, it is also Oscar’s home race. I’m sure a lot of fans will be showing their support for him and the team this weekend. We’ll hopefully see some exciting racing and return with some more points.”

Track insights

Aesthetically, there are few, if any, more beautiful circuits than Australia’s Albert Park. The 5.275km temporary circuit is surrounded by gorgeous greenery, and is located mere minutes away from the centre of Melbourne, with the city’s iconic skyline as a backdrop on one side and a beach in the opposite direction. But it doesn’t just deliver off the track, it provides enthralling action on it too.

Although the circuit is set around public roads, its width provides plenty of overtaking opportunities and the track’s characteristics allow drivers to push their cars to the limit, with high-speed cornering and rapid changes of direction.

Turns 9 and 10 are the best examples of this, with drivers pulling nearly 5 g laterally as they approach the first of the turns at around 180 mph, before being required to swiftly change direction for a flat-out right-hander. Changes to the circuit layout ahead of 2022 have only increased the challenge here, with drivers now not lifting off the throttle from Turn 8 all the way to Turn 11.

Several corners – 1, 3, 6, 13 and 15 - were also widened, increasing the possibility for overtaking, while the circuit’s famously bumpy surface was made smoother, making it a much more pleasant drive for those in the cockpit and an easier watch for the engineers and mechanics in the garage.

The season so far

Lando and Oscar continued our strong start to the season in Saudi Arabia, adding 16 points to our tally to lift us to third in the Constructors’ Championship.

Oscar finished a brilliant fourth, launching ahead of Fernando Alonso when the lights went out and then holding off the two-time World Champion throughout the race. Lando, meanwhile, attempted the alternate strategy in order to avoid a double-stack in the pits and briefly led the race, before falling back to eighth at the flag following his tyre change.

F1 translations: Ride height

F1 is full of specialist slang and complicated jargon that can stump even the most avid of fans, which is why we’ll be explaining common F1 terminology ahead of each grand prix this season. This week, it’s ride height…

Ride height has been a key talking point since the introduction of the new rules and regulations in 2022, including at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. Here, we will look at why and what it means.

Ride height relates to the distance between the car and the ground. The lower you run the car, the more downforce is generated, without significantly increasing the drag. It also lowers the car’s centre of gravity - making it more responsive and easier to handle when cornering or braking - and generates more grip.

This is relevant in Australia because Albert Park's previously bumpy surface prevented teams from running the car too low as it could have damaged the floor. However, now that it has been resurfaced and is much smoother, teams are able to lower their ride height, if they wish.

F1 icebreaker

Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…

An Australian driver has never officially finished on the podium at their home race since Australia joined the Formula 1 World Championship calendar in 1985.

The fit: Aussie rules

After two races of donning our must-have essentials collection, it feels like time to switch things up for the third race of the season, and what better reason than to support Oscar’s home Grand Prix?

To celebrate Osc’s second race in Oz, we’ve released an Australia-themed collection featuring a green hoodie, white tee and a New Era cap straight out of the land Down Under. Whether you’re going to be in the thick of it in the Melbourne Walk or watching from your sofa eating Tim Tams, it’s the ultimate way to embrace the Aussie vibes.