Points in the ParkPoints in the Park
In a highly dramatic race, AMF1 secured top-four finishes with both cars at Albert Park Circuit with Fernando fighting his way onto the podium for the third race in succession and Lance coming home in fourth place – his best result with AMF1 to date.
The Debrief by Aramco
Hear from Fernando, Lance and Team Principal Mike Krack as they give their thoughts throughout the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Need to Know: Australia
Fernando Alonso
"We head to Australia feeling good having scored back-to-back podiums and we hope to build on these results this weekend.
"The car has performed quite well on two different circuits so far. However, our feet remain on the ground and we are realistic that in order to keep scoring strong results we need to deliver in all areas of the team.
"Australia is always a fun race to go to and I am curious to see how the track differs to previous years. It is going to be even faster than last year and hopefully we will see more overtaking.
"But as ever Qualifying will likely be pivotal at Albert Park, so we need to make sure we have a strong Saturday to put us in the best possible position to score as many points as possible."
Lance Stroll
"It was disappointing to end the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a retirement, so I am looking forward to getting back out on track in Australia.
"It is another very different circuit to the two we have experienced so far this season which means no expectations; we will take it day by day.
"Albert Park is a cool track which evolves throughout the weekend as we lay down rubber. I especially like the very fast Turn Nine-10 chicane; it is always good fun to drive.
"Melbourne itself is a great city which I enjoy getting to visit. The fans are awesome too, so I hope we can put on a good show for them."
Insight and Speed
Powered by How
How do you make the most out of DRS?
DRS is designed to assist overtaking during a Grand Prix. Activation is permitted only when the chasing car is less than a second behind the car in front. The top element of the rear wing changes angle, and this greatly reduces drag, giving the pursuer a notable speed advantage.
The extent of that advantage varies by track, length of DRS zone and other external factors. A headwind into a corner can increase the DRS strength, while several cars following within a second of each other can result in a 'DRS train' forming.
In some cases, the DRS effect can be so powerful that drivers will deliberately try to wait behind their rival before a DRS detection point to ensure they can take advantage of the overtaking aid down the straight.
If DRS makes overtaking particularly easy at a circuit, this can influence and encourage more aggressive strategies in the race, while at circuits where the DRS effect is limited, such as the tight and twisty streets of Monaco, track position is prioritised.
Unlocking the Lap
Turn One is a tight right-hander but the apex speed is more than 150km/h. The apex is also blind and Turn Two follows immediately after, setting up the long, flat-out run to Turn Three.
Located at the end of the first DRS zone, Turn Three is another tight right-hander that provides an opportunity for overtaking. However, it's easy to lock the front-right tyre under braking into the corner which can put you at risk of running wide into the gravel trap on the exit.
Turns Nine and 10 were spectacular corners before to the circuit alterations, but now they are more fearsome than ever. At the fastest point of the circuit, it's a small dab of brake on the entry to Turn Nine, before a second deft touch of the brake before Turn 10 and the high-speed run to Turn 11.
Cloud Report
Australia may be known for its warm climate at this time of year, but this race has thrown up a few weather surprises, keeping strategists on their toes.
Our Global Partner NetApp is a global hybrid cloud storage partner, with solutions that perform across a diverse environment allowing us to gain insights on weather-related data as well as telemetry data. Together, we explore how weather can affect track conditions this weekend.
This is the first Grand Prix of the season to take place entirely in the daytime so there will not be the significant temperature drops experienced under the night sky in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. If the weather remains consistent, track conditions in Free Practice One and Three should be more representative of the conditions teams will encounter in qualifying and the race – and data-driven insights from these practice sessions can be more readily applied later in the weekend.
The early Australian autumn provides plenty of warm temperatures and fine conditions. However, ambient temperatures are likely to be lower than those in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and forecasts indicate the possibility of rain which could make the white lines painted on the circuit particularly slippery. Lower temperatures and inclement weather are something no team has had to face so far this season and it could see swings in performance, with the conditions suiting some cars more than others.
XPerience Points
In Formula One, you're constantly learning. Every lap, every mile, every second, is an opportunity to further your understanding and, ultimately, discover ways to unlock performance. In partnership with XP Inc, here are some of the key points for Australia.
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