The Australian Grand Prix has produced some iconic moments, so here are five unforgettable incidents from the Formula 1 race.
F1 has staged the Australian Grand Prix officially since 1985, with it first taking place at the Adelaide Street Circuit. The 3.78km (2.2m) track saw greats like Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher race in anger.
Rosberg was the first to win the race for Williams in 1985 and would turn out to be the final time that he would stand on top of the podium in his F1 career before he retired at the end of the season.
In 1996 the race moved to the current site in Melbourne at Albert Park, which is a part street and part permanent facility. Following the cancellation of the race in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the track tweaked the layout to improve overtaking opportunities.
Damon Hill won the first race, having won the final race at Adelaide the previous year. He remains the only driver to win the Australian GP at two separate tracks.
Both tracks have produced iconic moments and F1 Oversteer has taken a look at some of those.
Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill collide at Adelaide in 1994
Perhaps one of the most controversial moments in F1 history was when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill collided during the 1994 title showdown.
Hill entered the race separated by just a point from Schumacher and needed to finish ahead to be crowned champion. Schumacher had qualified on pole and was leading the race, when on lap 36 the Benetton driver collided with the wall at East Terrace corner and pulled back onto the track.
Hill was piling the pressure on Schumacher and attempted a move on the outside as he rejoined, only for the pair to connect and for Hill’s Williams to be tipped into the air. The collision forced Schumacher to retire on the spot, with Hill recovering back to the pits.
Once it was clear Hill could not continue, Schumacher was crowned champion. Hill would say later that there was not an appetite for Williams to appeal, given it was also the same year Ayrton Senna lost his life earlier in the season.
Ralf Schumacher gets airborne during 2002 season opener
There is a lot of anticipation over a new Formula 1 season, with all the build-up on TV and preparation that drivers do in the winter.
Ralf Schumacher’s start to the 2002 season would last all but 400m when he created a spectacular crash trying to overtake Rubens Barrichello.
Schumacher was keen to get a good start for Williams knowing that Ferrari would be difficult to beat, and starting from third on the grid he attempted to pass polesitter Barichello around the outside.
The Brazilian closed the door suddenly and the Williams mounted the rear of his car, before sending Schumacher into the air and off into the run-off area. The collision created a chain reaction, with Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Olivier Panis, and Alan McNish also crashing out on the spot.
Jenson Button goes from last to first in 2010 masterclass
Jenson Button was always known as a wet weather master when he was in F1, and that was on full display in only his second race with McLaren.
Dark skies descended on the circuit just before the start of the 2010 race at Melbourne, with rain hitting the track and forcing everyone to start on intermediate tyres.
The then-current world champion pitted a couple of laps before everyone else for dry tyres and skated off track at Turn 4, appearing to confirm that it was too early. His decision would be vindicated a lap later when he set the fastest lap of the race, promoting everyone else to pit for dry tyres.
Sebastian Vettel was still leading at this point but brake failure put him out of the race, handing the lead to Button and enabling him to take victory having effectively been last at one stage.
Daniel Ricciardo loses podium in 2014
It is the dream of any driver to stand on the podium of their home race and it appeared as though Daniel Ricciardo has achieved that in 2014 when he crossed the line in third.
It was Ricciardo’s first race with Red Bull having been promoted from Toro Rosso, and a great way to announce his arrival as F1 introduced new hybrid power units.
But post-race he would be disqualified for exceeding the fuel flow allowed within the permitted amount by the FIA. Even though Red Bull maintained from their own data that Ricciardo did not exceed the 100kg per-hour cap, the governing body used data from its own sensors onboard his car and disqualified him.
Fernando Alonso escapes injury after big 2016 crash
The 2016 season was already turning into a difficult one for Fernando Alonso after McLaren’s partnership with Honda got off to a rocky start.
Alonso found himself at the back of the grid due to the poor reliability of the Honda power unit, and would go on to suffer a spectacular crash when racing with Esteban Ocon.
The Haas driver was approaching Turn 3 when he flicked to the inside to defend from Alonso, causing the Spaniard to collide with the back of his car and spear into the barriers.
Alonso carried on at around 100mph when he hit the gravel, causing his car to barrel roll before resting upside down in the run off area. The Spaniard emerged from the car unscathed but was clearly shaken.
