| Australian Grand Prix Preview | |
|
| |
|
Melbourne, Australia 7th - 9th March 1997 |
by Paul Rushworth, England |
Lap Guide
|
The Albert Park circuit in Melbourne is a great place to run a Grand Prix. Circling
around the central lake, the road portions of the circuit are used year round - but make
no mistake, this is a dedicated F1 track. With plenty of room for run-off space, this
means that there are some particularly daunting 150mph sweeps around the back of the
circuit. There are also several good overtaking opportunities - but only if you're brave.
The winner here fully deserves to go on and be World Champion. Circuit length: 3.274miles / 5.271 km - Race length: 58 laps (189.892 miles / 305.718 km) |
|
What happened last year?
The result of the 1997 Australian Grand Prix may have been a shock for many and a disappointment for others, but never the less, David Coulthard and the McLaren-Mercedes team win was one of the most popular in recent times.
For a full review of the race, Click here.
Race Results
| 1997 Grand Prix of Australia |  | |||
 1. | David Coulthard | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:30.28.718s | |
| 2. | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | + 20.046s | |
| 3. | Mika Hakkinen | McLaren-Mercedes | + 22.177s | |
| 4. | Gerhard Berger | Benetton-Renault | + 22.841s | |
| 5. | Olivier Panis | Prost-Mugen Honda | + 1:00.308s | |
| 6. | Nicola Larini | Sauber-Petronas | + 1:36.040s | |
| Pole position: | Jacques Villeneuve | Williams-Renault | 1m 29.369s | |
| Fastest lap: | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Williams-Renault | 1:30.585s | |
 | ||||
The Teams
For a detailed analysis of teams and their chances both in Australia and for the 1998 season, click here.