2017 Australian GP Stat Pack - News

F1 is back this weekend as Melbourne's Albert Park plays host to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Here, we take a look at the key statistics and trivia ahead of the first round of the new campaign.

• Formula One will contest its first season without the current champion for the first time since 1994 following Nico Rosberg's retirement. Frenchman Alain Prost called time on his career in 1993 after claiming his fourth title with Williams.
• Rosberg's exit paves the way for Lewis Hamilton to reclaim the crown and become the first British driver to win a quartet of championships. Michael Schumacher (seven), Juan Manuel Fangio (five), Prost and Sebastian Vettel (both four) are the only other drivers to have won more than three titles.
• Valtteri Bottas replaces Rosberg at Mercedes but the Finnish driver, formerly of Williams, is yet to win in Formula One in 77 starts. He is also awaiting his first pole position.
• Bottas switching to Mercedes opened up a vacancy at Williams which was swiftly filled by Felipe Massa. The Brazilian was in tears at the penultimate race of last season, believing it to be his final race in front of his home crowd. But after re-joining Williams for the new season his retirement lasted only 49 days.
• One man who has retired is Jenson Button. This is the first Formula One season of this century in which the former Williams, Honda and McLaren driver has not lined up on the grid.
• Stoffel Vandoorne has replaced Button at McLaren. He made his debut at last year's Bahrain Grand Prix where he filled in for the injured Fernando Alonso and finished 10th.
• Canadian Lance Stroll is the only full rookie on the grid this season. At just 18 he is also the second youngest to start a race in grand prix history. Max Verstappen was one year younger when he made his debut.
• McLaren have won the most races in the history of the Australian Grand Prix (11) but they are in the midst of their worst winless streak in the sport. They have failed to taste victory since Button won the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix - a run of 76 Grands Prix.

Stats

Venue: Albert Park, Melbourne

Circuit length: 5.303km/3.295 miles

Laps: 58

Race distance: 307.574km/191.117miles

In-race lap record: 1min 24.125secs (Michael Schumacher, 2004)

2016 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1min 23.837secs

2016 winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2016 fastest race lap: Lewis Hamilton 1min 28.997secs

Number of corners: 16 (six left/10 right)

Tyre compounds to be used: ultrasoft/supersoft/soft

Bumpiness: medium

Overtaking chance: low

Engine severity: high

Brake wear severity: high

Number of safety car deployments over last 10 seasons: 13

Schedule

Saturday, March 25

Free Practice 3: 1400-1500 local time (0300-0400 GMT)

Qualifying: 1700 local time (0600 GMT)

Sunday, March 26

Australian Grand Prix: 1600 local time (0600 BST)