Australian GP Haas F1 Team Stats and facts 18.03.2017: Formula 1- Australian Grand-Prix 2017 Albert Park Circuit • Total number of race laps: 58

Formula 1- Australian Grand-Prix 2017
Albert Park Circuit




•    Total number of race laps: 58


•    Complete race distance: 307.574 kilometers (191.118 miles)


•    Pit lane speed limit: 60 kph (37 mph)


•    This 5.303-kilometer (3.295-mile), 16-turn Albert Park Circuit has hosted Formula One since 1996, with last year’s Australian Grand Prix serving as the venue’s 21st grand prix. However, this is the 33rd Australian Grand Prix, with the inaugural Formula One race taking place in 1985 on the Adelaide Street Circuit, which was won by Keke Rosberg, father of reigning Formula One champion Nico Rosberg.


•    Michael Schumacher holds the race lap record at Albert Park Circuit (1:24.125), set in 2004 with Scuderia Ferrari.


•    Sebastian Vettel holds the qualifying lap record at Albert Park Circuit (1:23.529), set in 2011 with Red Bull in Q3.



•    The Albert Park Circuit comprises public roads encircling Albert Park Lake, a man-made body of water just south of Melbourne’s central business district. The roads were rebuilt prior to Formula One’s debut at the track in 1996, but because the surface only sees racecars about once a year, grip is hard to come by, especially in the initial practice sessions. It’s a street circuit that some say behaves more like a natural road course.



•    DYK? Albert Park hosted races in the 1950s on a 5.03-kilometer (3.125-mile) configuration of the current circuit. During this time, however, the race ran in an anti-clockwise direction, as opposed to the current clockwise direction of the track’s layout.



•    During the course of the Australian Grand Prix, lows will range from 12-14 degrees Celsius (53-57 degrees Fahrenheit) to highs of 22-24 degrees Celsius (71-76 degrees Fahrenheit). Relative humidity ranges from 40 percent (comfortable) to 91 percent (very humid), with a dew point varying from 6 degrees Celsius/43 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) to 14 degrees Celsius/57 degrees Fahrenheit (comfortable). The dew point is rarely below 2 degrees Celsius/36 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) or above 17 degrees Celsius/63 degrees Fahrenheit (mildly humid). Typical wind speeds vary from 3-27 kph/2-17 mph (light air to moderate breeze), rarely exceeding 43 kph/27 mph (strong breeze).
 


 •    Jan. 12: VF-17 passes FIA-mandated crash test and sea freight leaves for Australia.

•    Jan. 20 and Jan. 23: Magnussen in simulator.

•    Feb. 9-10: Grosjean in simulator.

•    Feb. 8: Grosjean has seat fitting.

•    Feb. 9: Magnussen has seat fitting.

•    Feb. 20: Magnussen in simulator.

•    Feb. 21: At 4:45 p.m. CET, successful fire-up of the car’s engine – the Ferrari 062.


•    Feb. 22: Haas F1 Team sets up at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya for preseason testing.


•    Feb. 25: The VF-17 turns its wheels for the first time at Barcelona with Grosjean at the helm. The installation lap around the 4.655-kilometer (2.89-mile), 16-turn circuit comes during the team’s production day.


•    Feb. 26: The VF-17 publicly debuts via a digital launch on the team’s social media platforms and website.


•    Feb. 27: First day of preseason testing at Barcelona. Magnussen completes 51 laps with a best time of 1:22.894.


•    March 1: Grosjean takes wheel of the VF-17 for the first time in preseason testing at Barcelona. He completes 56 laps with a best time of 1:22.118.


•    March 6: Sea freight arrives at Albert Park Circuit.


•    March 10: Preseason testing at Barcelona ends. Haas F1 Team logs a total of 715 laps (1,717.695 kilometers/1,067.326 miles) during the eight days of track time spread over 12 days (Feb. 27-March 2, March 7-10). This is 241 more laps (1,121.855 kilometers/697.088 miles) than the total logged by Haas F1 Team in 2016.


•    March 16: Air freight packed up and sent to Australia.


•    March 18: Cars and equipment arrive at Albert Park Circuit. 


 •    Pirelli is bringing three tire compounds to Australia:



o    P Zero Yellow soft – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)


    This is one of the most frequently used tires in Pirelli’s range, as it strikes a balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is still geared toward speed rather than long distances, but it remains capable of providing teams with a competitive advantage at the beginning of the race where cars are carrying a full fuel load, and at the end of the race where the fuel load is much lighter and the race effectively becomes a sprint. It is a high working-range compound.


o    P Zero Red supersoft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and for initial portion of qualifying)


    This is the second softest tire in Pirelli’s range, and it is ideal for tight and twisting circuits, especially in cold weather, when maximum grip is needed. The supersofts warm up rapidly, which has made it a stalwart choice for qualifying. But with increased grip comes increased degradation. It is a low working-range compound.


o    P Zero Purple ultrasoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)


    This is a newer tire in Pirelli’s lineup, debuting at last year’s Monaco Grand Prix and most recently used at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in late-November. It is the softest tire in Pirelli’s range, with rapid warming and massive performance. It is best used on tight and twisting circuits that put a premium on mechanical grip. However, because it is so soft, it has a limited lifespan. It is a low working-range compound.


•    Two of the three available compounds must be used during the race. Teams are able to decide when they want to run which compound, adding an element of strategy to the race. A driver can also use all three sets of Pirelli tires in the race, if they so desire. (If there are wet track conditions, the Cinturato Blue full wet tire and the Cinturato Green intermediate tire will be made available.)


•    Pirelli provides each driver 13 sets of dry tires for the race weekend. And for the first five grands prix of 2017, Pirelli sets the allotments – two sets of the hardest tire available, four sets of the medium compound and seven sets of the softest tire. Come the sixth race of the year at Monaco, teams will be able to choose the specifications of 10 of its 13 sets from the three compounds Pirelli selected.
 


 
 
Mike Arning-   photo Haas F1