AutoAction
FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SIGN UP

Albert Park ready for 70th Grand Prix anniversary 

70th Grand Prix Anniversary

By Thomas Miles

The 2023 season marks the 70th anniversary of Albert Park first hosting the Australian Grand Prix in 1953 and two cars which competed in the maiden race have returned to the circuit. 

A total of 85 Australian Grands Prix have been held with the first held at Melbourne in November 1953 was won by local Doug Whiteford.

Whiteford scored victory by the large margin of six laps in a Talbot-Lago after 2:24:50 and 322km at the wheel.

Seven decades ago only hay bales were used as safety barriers around the lake, while now concrete and Tech Pro barriers line the circuit, where well over 400,000 people pack the grandstands over the four days.

To celebrate the milestone, a pair of iconic cars that competed in the first Grand Prix held in Melbourne returned to the Albert Park pit straight alongside former Formula 1 driver Tim Schenken and 1995 Supercars champion and open-wheel racer John Bowe.

John Bowe poses with The Patterson Brydon MG TC

John Bowe poses with The Patterson Brydon MG TC Special that finished second at the 1953 Australian Grand Prix. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images for AGPC

The former drivers were in awe of the 1953 Curly Brydon, which finished second behind Whiteford and the Maybach Mk1, which set the fastest lap of the inaugural race with the father of 1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones, Stan Jones at the wheel.

Both Schenken and Bowe got to jump into the classic cars and revved the engines down pit lane.

For Schenken it was a great thrill, having recalled the days when he used to watch the early Albert Park Grands Prix from the golf course located at what is now the high-speed run from Turn 8 to Turn 9.

Tim Schenken drives The Maybach driven by Stan Jones in 1953 Australian Grand Prix

Tim Schenken drives The Maybach driven by Stan Jones in 1953 Australian Grand Prix up the modern day Albert Park pit lane. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images for AGPC

“I’ve been associated with this event since it was the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, but actually it goes back to 1953 when the cars used to go in the opposite direction,” he said.

“I watched the race from the golf links and in fact that was the time that inspired me to become a professional driver.

“You can’t compare the circuit today to as it was in the fifties. The types of the cars, the safety, it went in the other direction, it was a completely different scene in those days.” 

Former Formula 1 Driver Tim Schenken OAM, Poses With The Maybach

Former Formula 1 driver Tim Schenken OAM, poses with The Maybach. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images for AGPC

Bowe also explained how simple racing was when Albert Park first hosted a Grand Prix.

“Back in the fifties no one knew how to spell safety, let alone exercise it,” Bowe said. 

“Motor racing will never be totally safe, but the cars have evolved through science and engineering to a degree that you can have quite a decent crash and survive, so it’s very different. 

“My dad raced in that era, and he used to race in a tee shirt, with bare arms and a helmet that only covered the top of your head. It’s a way different ball game now.”

John Bowe Is All Smiles In The Patterson Brydon MG TC Special

John Bowe is all smiles in the Patterson Brydon MG TC Special. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images for AGPC

In the intervening 70 years, the Australian Grand Prix has received a number of facelifts from hosting a variety of cars, regulations and circuits.

The biggest change occurred in 1985 when Adelaide became alive by bringing the Formula 1 world championship down under for the first time with its new Victoria Park street circuit.

After 10 huge years, the race moved to its current home, Albert Park, in 1996 where Damon Hill took victory for Williams.

Damon Hill Celebrates Winning The First Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

Damon Hill celebrates winning the first Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix held at Albert Park in 1996. Photo by LAT Images

Ferrari has enjoyed the most success on the Melbourne streets, with Eddie Irvine scoring the Scuderia’s first Victorian F1 win in 1999 and Charles Leclerc lifting the Sir Jack Brabham Trophy aloft after a dominant drive in front of a record crowd last year.

The 2022 race also saw the completion of the first modifications to the Albert Park street circuit since 1996 where the back section of the track was resurfaced and opened up.

This year’s race will be the second held on the revised 5.278km layout where not only Supercars, but Formula 2 and Formula 3 are on the support card for the March 30-April 2 event.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation division manager – motorsport, David Corrigan reflected on the event’s seven decades of history at Albert Park and said there will be lots of celebrations when the F1 circus returns next month.

Charles Leclerc And Ferrari Won The 2022 Australian Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari won the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. Image: Motorsport Images

“It’s such an iconic circuit here at Albert Park and we at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation need to celebrate and highlight that important milestone,” he said. 

“Back in 1953, they used hay bales as safety barriers, had a double decker bus acting as race control, there was a record crowd of 50,000 people, no Pit Lane garages, and teams would operate their Pit Lane stops on the side of the road, so the event’s evolved so much over the 70 years. It’s such a special place.

“From March 30 to April 2, we’re going to celebrate that history at our event with various displays and on-track entertainment. 

“Some of those displays will be with sixty plus historic cars, some of those cars from the 1953 Grand Prix plus celebrating the history of cars from decades that have passed.” 

The 86th Australian Grand Prix will be held at Albert Park on March 30 to April 2.

For more of the latest motorsport news and a bumper F1 season preview, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport