Formula One making station in Melbourne for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix – up until 1995, a different, highly popular venue hosted the event, however. We are looking back at the Adelaide Street Circuit.
F1 and Australia – what is now almost synonymous actually started out relatively late when it comes to a Grand Prix. The event is one of the most popular on the calendar, with the World Championship running at Melbourne each year. The Albert Park Circuit will play host to the race for the 27th time on March 24, and it has been the scene of numerous memorable moments over the years.
In fact, its very first race in 1996 did not even get to turn 3 to produce the first of those moments, as Martin Brundle collided with David Coulthard and Johnny Herbert. The Englishman rolled his Jordan, which split the car in two, immediately demonstrating the effectiveness of the new safety regulations introduced for 1996 as he was completely fine and able to take the restart.
Melbourne’s long-time status as the season opener meant that it was always good for a surprise, such as Mark Webber finishing in the points at his F1 debut in a Minardi in 2002 – which the crowd celebrated as if he had won the race. And who could forget the sensational 2009 Brawn GP 1-2 of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, kicking off a one-of-a-kind story of a team rising from the ashes. The former Honda works team would go on to win both championships that year.
Nigel Mansell had one hand on the title trophy already in 1986 – a blown tire meant he had to wait another six years for his maiden World Championship.
While Alain Prost’s 1985 title had already been wrapped up by the time F1 cars first circulated around the Adelaide Parklands, the 1986 edition saw a legendary finish in the title race. Nigel Mansell looked like the certain World Champion until his left rear tire spectacularly blew on the back straight. Miraculously, the Englishman kept control of the car, but had to retire from third position.
With one of his title rivals out of the race, Prost had to hold off the other in Nelson Piquet, who was reeling in the Frenchman – but could not get close enough to mount a charge. Prost took his second title as a result.
To say that conditions in the 1991 Australian Grand Prix were tricky would be an understatement.
1992 saw the final on-track battle between Mansell and Senna, which ended in a collision in the final hairpin. Senna took the win a year later – his final victory for McLaren, and, as it turned out, of his career. Then, there was the 1994 collision between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill, handing the German his first F1 World Championship and opening the door for Mansell, who had returned from IndyCar, to take his final career win.
And how could we not mention Heinz-Harald Frentzen’s friendly gesture in the final GP at Adelaide?
Hill would triumph in 1995, the final Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide. Interestingly, he won the next race after that as well – which was the 1996 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Economic reasons and more modern facilities had made the capital of Victoria the more desirable location for F1.
Generally regarded as one of the best street circuits in the world (the author certainly thinks so), Adelaide is not a very frequent occurrence in sim racing these days. Of course, there are mods for rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa, the latter having multiple versions of the modern variant available on RaceDepartment, as well as a 1988 F1 version.
The Supercars series races on a shortened, but no less fun layout of Adelaide.
As for first-party content, Automobilista and Automobilista 2 are your best bets these days. The original AMS features both modern and historic versions of the circuit as DLC, AMS2 comes with both on board in its stock version. For the latter, the longer historic version is aligns with no less than six seasons portrayed in the sim. Check our ultimate Automobilista 2 F1 Season guide for more info on those seasons, including authentic skin packs!
The 1985-1995 version (left) and the short layout of Adelaide. Images: racingcircuits.info
The Senna Chicane dares you to take as much kerb as possible without throwing the car away, as Schumacher did in practice in 1994. Similarly, sending it through Brewery Corner between Jones and Brabham Straight on the old layout feels extremely satisfying if you get it right – because if you do not, it usually results in a monumental crash. Threading the needle in Turn 8, which is basically the short version’s cousin of Brewery Corner, is a bit of an art form as well.
If you have never tried Adelaide in any game or sim before, do yourself a favor and catch up on that as soon as you can. Of course, it is possible that it is not your cup of tea – but you might also find yourself with a new favorite.
Which Australian Grand Prix venue do you prefer? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
F1 and Australia – what is now almost synonymous actually started out relatively late when it comes to a Grand Prix. The event is one of the most popular on the calendar, with the World Championship running at Melbourne each year. The Albert Park Circuit will play host to the race for the 27th time on March 24, and it has been the scene of numerous memorable moments over the years.
In fact, its very first race in 1996 did not even get to turn 3 to produce the first of those moments, as Martin Brundle collided with David Coulthard and Johnny Herbert. The Englishman rolled his Jordan, which split the car in two, immediately demonstrating the effectiveness of the new safety regulations introduced for 1996 as he was completely fine and able to take the restart.
Melbourne’s long-time status as the season opener meant that it was always good for a surprise, such as Mark Webber finishing in the points at his F1 debut in a Minardi in 2002 – which the crowd celebrated as if he had won the race. And who could forget the sensational 2009 Brawn GP 1-2 of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, kicking off a one-of-a-kind story of a team rising from the ashes. The former Honda works team would go on to win both championships that year.
Adelaide: Scene Of Classic F1 Moments
As much as Melbourne is now a staple of the F1 calendar, so was Adelaide before it. From 1985 to 1995, the South Australian street circuit was the season finale in each of its 11 appearances in Formula One. Naturally, that meant that the track would be the scene of some iconic moments of that era.Nigel Mansell had one hand on the title trophy already in 1986 – a blown tire meant he had to wait another six years for his maiden World Championship.
While Alain Prost’s 1985 title had already been wrapped up by the time F1 cars first circulated around the Adelaide Parklands, the 1986 edition saw a legendary finish in the title race. Nigel Mansell looked like the certain World Champion until his left rear tire spectacularly blew on the back straight. Miraculously, the Englishman kept control of the car, but had to retire from third position.
With one of his title rivals out of the race, Prost had to hold off the other in Nelson Piquet, who was reeling in the Frenchman – but could not get close enough to mount a charge. Prost took his second title as a result.
More Drama & Final Wins
The following years saw the title deciders happen elsewhere, but that does not mean Adelaide got boring. The 1989 Australian Grand Prix ran to the two-hour limit in the rain, with Thierry Boutsen taking the win while the likes of Mansell, Ayrton Senna or Piquet did not even make it to the 20-lap mark. The rain returned in 1991, with the event being red flagged after just 14 laps. Senna was declared the victor, and half points were awarded.To say that conditions in the 1991 Australian Grand Prix were tricky would be an understatement.
1992 saw the final on-track battle between Mansell and Senna, which ended in a collision in the final hairpin. Senna took the win a year later – his final victory for McLaren, and, as it turned out, of his career. Then, there was the 1994 collision between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill, handing the German his first F1 World Championship and opening the door for Mansell, who had returned from IndyCar, to take his final career win.
Hill would triumph in 1995, the final Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide. Interestingly, he won the next race after that as well – which was the 1996 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Economic reasons and more modern facilities had made the capital of Victoria the more desirable location for F1.
V8 Supercars & ALMS Revive Adelaide After F1
This did not spell the end for racing at Adelaide, though. The V8 Supercars series ran a shortened version for the Adelaide 500 from 1999 to 2020 and from 2022 onwards. In 2000, the longer layout F1 had used returned for a final race, which was held by the American Le Mans Series. Dubbed the “Race of a Thousand Years”, the event was held on New Year’s Eve.Generally regarded as one of the best street circuits in the world (the author certainly thinks so), Adelaide is not a very frequent occurrence in sim racing these days. Of course, there are mods for rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa, the latter having multiple versions of the modern variant available on RaceDepartment, as well as a 1988 F1 version.
The Supercars series races on a shortened, but no less fun layout of Adelaide.
As for first-party content, Automobilista and Automobilista 2 are your best bets these days. The original AMS features both modern and historic versions of the circuit as DLC, AMS2 comes with both on board in its stock version. For the latter, the longer historic version is aligns with no less than six seasons portrayed in the sim. Check our ultimate Automobilista 2 F1 Season guide for more info on those seasons, including authentic skin packs!
Corners With Commitment
With Adelaide being a street circuit, its layout may look simple, but despite multiple 90-degree corners in the first sector, it actually has a great flow, particularly in the longer version, which features a sweeping combination of bends before entering the first part of the back straight. The final sector actually includes a small part that feels more like a purpose-built circuit, adding to said flow.The 1985-1995 version (left) and the short layout of Adelaide. Images: racingcircuits.info
The Senna Chicane dares you to take as much kerb as possible without throwing the car away, as Schumacher did in practice in 1994. Similarly, sending it through Brewery Corner between Jones and Brabham Straight on the old layout feels extremely satisfying if you get it right – because if you do not, it usually results in a monumental crash. Threading the needle in Turn 8, which is basically the short version’s cousin of Brewery Corner, is a bit of an art form as well.
If you have never tried Adelaide in any game or sim before, do yourself a favor and catch up on that as soon as you can. Of course, it is possible that it is not your cup of tea – but you might also find yourself with a new favorite.
Which Australian Grand Prix venue do you prefer? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
