The new Formula 1 season is almost here, so what better time to unveil our first F1 theme week of 2018 with the Celebrate International Australian Grand Prix Week.
Each week, or thereabouts, we attempt to give you a cheerful reason to get into the new working week. It also allows us to celebrate something often overlooked or forgotten completely. Although this week’s doesn’t come much bigger, being the opening round of one of the most followed annual sporting competitions.
There’s no better way to celebrate International Australian Grand Prix Week than with a dedicated Channel of pure F1 goodness. Thankfully, Fox Sports (Channel 506) have provided such a thing, and whoa betides anyone who couldn’t spend a good half day of Andy Capp tuning in. There’s F1 Season Reviews, and classic Australian Grands Prix. Otherwise, you’re just not getting into the spirit of Celebrate International Australian Grand Prix Week.
Like the Sydney to Hobart on Boxing Day, claiming the smallest of Irish ancestry on March 17, or being a jerk at an RSL on Anzac Day, you only have to care for a little, so get into the Australian Grand Prix Week spirit.
As ever, we wouldn’t let a theme week go past without suggesting a few of our favourite past occurrences – just like our International Boris Week.
The TV time on Fox Sports is quoted if you wish to follow the hour long highlights package. And you will.
FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN GRANDS PRIX OF ALL TIME
1986 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 WED 7pm
One of the best title deciders of all time, with one one of the biggest moments in Formula One. Whats more to like.
Nigel Mansell had the best car/engine combo all season, but somehow Alain Prost stayed close enough in the title race to reach Adelaide needing a win, and Mansell to finish lower than third.
A puncture part way through the race proved a pivotal moment in the Championship, as Prost got new tyres, and based on their appearance after a session of Prost driving all other Goodyear drivers were told not to bother stopping for tyres. And Mansell didn’t….
So as the iconic video below portrays, Mansell was sitting comfortably in the required third place when he had the largest tyre failure of all time. His team mate Nelson Piquet (who was leading and could also win the Championship) stopped straight away leaving Prost to win the race and Championship, holding off Piquet and a fuel gauge reading negative.
1989 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 TUE 9pm
Infamous as much for the off track action as well as on, as this Adelaide edition was waterlogged to the point of drivers refusing to start.
Alain Prost did one lap and then retired his car in protest, and it didn’t take long for the race to be stopped.
The second start saw Gurgler favourite Pierluigi Martini almost take the leadinto the first corner, but Senna had it under control, a theme he underlined by being well over 5 seconds a lap quicker in the early stages.
He even had time for a triple rotation, which provided the famous Murray Walker commentary of “Spin, Spin, Spin, Round, Round, Round” and not lose the lead. Although he did lose the lead, the race and the Championship when he slammed up the back of Martin Brundle at 200kph when he couldn’t see.
Amazingly the race continued for the full two hours, and was won by Thierry Boutsen. The video below shows the aftermath of the Senna-Brundle clash. Amazing is how fast Ayrton could drive on the wet on three wheels. Had he been allowed, he possibly could have won the race on three wheels.
1990 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 THU 11pm
A dry race this year, and it had plenty of action throughout. Won by Nelson Piquet after rebuffing the cheekiest of last lap lunges by Nigel Mansell.
But as much as on track action was great, how about how casual the below Press Conference is today.
Hopefully the new F1 owners take this on board, rather than the awful podium interviews.
1994 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 WED 9:10pm
Another title decider and the first taste of the ruthlessness of Michael Schumacher.
An awful season in which F1 lost Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, and saw another driver in a coma, and saw politics a plenty culminated in a showdown between Schumacher in a Benetton and Damon Hill in a Williams.
A dogged scrap ensued between the two title combatants, until Schumacher ran wide into a wall. Unsighted a few seconds back, Damon Hill saw a gap and went for it, and the German driver took Hill out, in another infamous image of the Australian Grand Prix. Schumacher deserved the title as he was the better driver all year (in a car thought to be slightly illegal) but had to sit out races whilst being suspended, but to win it in that style left a bad taste. He got his karma against Jacques Villeneuve a few seasons later.
Happily the season finished on a high note of sorts, with Nigel Mansell getting his only Australian Grand Prix win.
1999 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
A race won by Eddie Irvine, who almost became the least likely World Champion of all time in the same season.
The McLaren was the car to beat but fragile, and in Irvine and Heinz-Harald Frentzen you had two drivers at the front of this race and season who few would have predicted.
2002 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 WED 11:56pm
Known for two things, an almighty crash at the first corner that took out multiple cars, and Mark Webber’s debut for Minardi which ended in fifth place and two points. It had been 7 years since the Minardi team had last scored points.
Biased, as we were there at the track for the race willing on the Webber wagon to hold the fifth place from the challenge of the multi, multi million dollar entry from motorsport power Toyota.
2018 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
TV – FOX SPORTS 506 ALL WEEKEND
Where Daniel Ricciardo finally wins the Australian Grand Prix for Red Bull.
“FUN” FACT
The Australian Grand Prix has been a race won by only the premium drivers, just 7 races have been won since 1985 by someone other than an eventual World Champion. And of those 7 non Champion winners, they all finished fourth or better in a Championship during their career.
