The Formula 1 Grand Prix – Melbourne

Formula One is the considered the highest level of motorsport on the planet. Subsequently the FIA Formula One World Championship is the largest and most followed motor racing championship in sports. The 2018 Championship will see many of the teams keeping their top-order line-ups the same. Lower down the grid, Williams is introducing a new teammate for Lance Stroll while Toro Rosso will be keeping on newcomers Brandon Hartley and Pierre Gasly. Sauber will have a new recruit in the form of reining F2 Champ, Charles Leclerc.

Formula One in Australia

The 2018 Formula One Championship kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix on the 25^th of March. The event will be held at the iconic Melbourne Grand Prix circuit, first used in 1996. The history of the Australian Grand Prix dates back to 1985. When it first arrived in Australia, F1 set up shop in Adelaide.

The desire to move it to Melbourne came from ex-racer Bob Jane. He single handedly orchestrated the arrival of NASCAR to Australia and was a major proponent for a F1 Melbourne Grand Prix. It wasn’t until 1993 that a deal was signed and 3 years later Melbourne was officially on the roster.

The Melbourne Grand Prix circuit consists of 58 laps and a total race distance of 307.574km. The fastest lap time recorded at Melbourne was 1:24.125 set by the legendary Michael Schumacher in 2004. Being the first of the F1 races for the season, Melbourne is often a feeler race as teams become acquainted with their new machinery. It is also the time when top drivers can gauge their competitor’s form.

What Happened in 2017?

In 2017, Lewis Hamilton started in pole position, having recorded the fastest lap in qualifying. On the day it was actually Sebastian Vettel who triumphed for Ferrari while Hamilton had to settle for second. Valttri Bottas came in third in his debut for Mercedes.

The rest of the 2017 Formula One Championship was a cat and mouse chase between Vettel and Hamilton. While Vettel proved strong in the first half of the year, Hamilton dominated the later races; recording 6 wins from 7 races between Belgium and the US Grand Prix. Hamilton eventually went on to win the Championship, a full 46 points ahead of Vettel.

Come March 25^th, punters and F1 fans will be glued to their screens as Hamilton searches for success early on. If you want to place a bet online, check out these top-rated online betting sites for the best odds: Paddy Power, 888 Sport, Winner Sports, Titan Bet, Betway Sports and William Hill.