Australian GP track tweaked after heavy 2024 crashes

The FIA and local organisers have made safety changes to Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit following heavy crashes in last year’s Australian Grand Prix.

In the 2024 race, Russell was caught out by Fernando Alonso braking earlier than expected for Turn 6, leading to the Mercedes car going off and suffering a heavy crash before his car was spat back onto the racing surface.

Turns 6 and 7, which had been re-profiled and made faster, had already been a concern for the drivers before Russell’s crash, with Williams’ Alex Albon also suffering a big shunt in first free practice.

Among the options considered to make the corner safer include a re-profiling to reduce corner speeds once again, adding an asphalt run-off area instead of a gravel trap, or adjusting the barriers behind the corner to try and prevent cars from bouncing back towards the racing line in the event of another crash.

The FIA has now decided to take the latter route, with the barrier on the drivers’ left having been moved and positioned at a different angle to reduce the risk of cars bouncing back onto the track.

The governing body has also mandated changes to the kerbs of Turns 6 and 7, moving towards a single specification of a so-called negative kerb, a kerb which falls away to sit lower than the track surface, rather than a raised, positive kerb that cars climb onto, risking them becoming unsettled and unstable.

The existing gravel trap has also been extended to the edge of the kerbs.

“Following a review of last year’s event at Albert Park, several changes to Turn 6 and Turn 7 have been approved in collaboration with the local ASN and the grand prix organisers,” an FIA spokesperson confirmed.

“The kerb at the exit of Turn 6 through entry and apex of Turn 7 has been replaced with a single specification of negative kerb.

“This adjustment removes the transition from negative to positive kerb that was present in this area, which previously had been addressed by local modification (grinding) of the kerb to provide a smoother transition between kerb types. The intent is to remove the possibility of this transition destabilising a car.

“Additionally, the gravel trap now extends to the back of the kerb and the barrier on the left-hand side of Turn 7 has also been moved and re-profiled to mitigate the possibility of a car coming to rest in a position near the racing line following an impact with the energy absorbing barrier in this area.

“These changes were proposed based on feedback from the FIA Safety Department following their ongoing analysis of all circuits, as well as input from drivers and teams. They aim to provide improvement in safety whilst maintaining corner dynamics and exciting racing.”

The changes are likely to be well received by the drivers, who had already been urging the FIA to make changes at last year’s drivers’ briefing.

“The corner [itself] is amazing, probably one of the best corners on that circuit, so I wouldn’t want to see that corner changed,” Russell said after his crash. “But all circuits that have the barriers in certain positions, if it’s going to propel you back onto the circuit, that’s obviously not good.

“We don’t want to have big runoffs. Just the position of that wall, even if it’s closer to the track but in line with the circuit, at least you wouldn’t bounce off onto the racing line.”

The use of a single, continuous type of negative kerb is also something Albon had already advocated after his practice smash, explaining the transition to a higher kerb had contributed to him losing control as his Williams bottomed out.

“It’s kind of a double-stepped kerb on the exit and especially as we have these low cars now, we can use the first bit of kerb, but if you go too far across and you hit the second kind of ramp section, it forces the car into the air,” he said.