F1 heads to Melbourne for the 20th time as the new season gets underway; Lights out at 5am on Sunday
Monday 16 March 2015 14:15, UK
Find out everything you could ever want to know about the Australian GP as the F1 season starts once more in Melbourne.
The race switched to the temporary circuit through Albert Park in Melbourne in 1996 and has become a firm favourite with fans and drivers alike during the last 20 years.
After a year of Mercedes domination in 2014 the question on everyone’s lips is whether anyone can take the fight to the Silver Arrows this season?
So read on below as Sky Sports Digital provides your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the season-opening grand prix weekend.
Track: Albert Park. Temporary circuit.
Race start time: 5am UK time Sunday (4pm local).
Laps: 58.
Track length: 5.303 km.
Tyre allocation: Medium (white) and Soft (yellow).
DRS Zones: Two with one detection point (Pit Straight and between Turns Two and Three).
Driver steward: TBA.
Lap record: Michael Schumacher - 1:24.125 (Ferrari; 2004).
2014 pole: Lewis Hamilton - 1:44.231 (Mercedes).
Thursday March 12
4am - Drivers’ Press Conference - Live!
8:15pm - Drivers’ Press Conference - replay.
8:45pm - Paddock Uncut: Australia.
9pm - Classic F1 - 1996 Australian GP.
Friday March 13
1am - Australian GP Practice One - Live!
5:15am - Australian GP Practice Two - Live!
7:30am - Team Principals’ Press Conference - Live!
9:30am - The F1 Show - Live!
11:40am - Australian GP Practice One - replay.
2pm - Australian GP Practice Two - replay.
Saturday March 14
2:45am - Australian GP Practice Three - Live!
5am - Australian GP Qualifying - Live!
10:15am - Australian GP Qualifying replay.
1pm - Ted’s Qualifying Notebook.
3pm - Australian GP Qualifying replay.
Sunday March 15
3:30am - The 2015 Australian GP - Track Parade - Live!
4am - The 2015 Australian GP - Pitlane - Live!
4:30am - The 2015 Australian GP - Race - Live!
7:30am - The 2015 Australian GP - Paddock Live!
9:45am - 2015 Australian GP highlights.
11:30am - The 2015 Australian GP - replay.
6pm - 2015 Australian GP highlights.
7pm - Ted’s Race Notebook.
Jenson Button is the most successful driver on the current grid with three victories in Melbourne, whilst Kimi Raikkonen’s 2013 triumph makes him the only other multiple winner still racing. Each of the last nine races has been won by a different constructor than the previous season - you have to go back to Renault’s 2005 and 2006 successes with Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso respectively for back-to-back wins - proving just how unpredictable the GP can be.
2014 result: 1. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 2. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren); 3. Jenson Button (McLaren); 4. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 5. Valtteri Bottas (Williams); 6. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India); 7. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari); 8. Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso); 9. Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso); 10. Sergio Perez (Force India)
Last five winners in Australia: 2014: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 2013: Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus); 2012: Jenson Button (McLaren); 2011: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2010: Jenson Button (McLaren).
Pirelli will bring the white-marked medium and yellow-banded soft compounds to the Albert Park Circuit for the opening race of the season.
The Italian firm say these compounds are "well-suited to the varied demands and wide range of potential weather conditions experienced at the semi-permanent Albert Park facility in Melbourne".
After showing impressive pace in pre-season testing, Sky Bet have installed Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton as favourites for the race in Australia.
