The 86th edition of the Australian GP will take place this weekend at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne – who won the first one?
The Australian Grand Prix was held for the first-time way back in 1928 at Phillip Island. The event was won by Austin driver and local favourite Arthur Waite. However, the race was then known as the ‘100 miles Road race’ and was not officially a part of the Formula One World Championship.
The Australian Grand Prix was inducted into the Formula One World Championship for the first time in 1985. The event was won by Williams-Honda driver Keke Rosberg, and he is officially the first-ever winner of the Australian GP in the event’s current form. Keke is the father of 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg. Keke is also a one-time F1 World Championship winner, having won the title in 1982. His win at the 1985 Australian GP was incidentally the last ever win of his Formula One career.
Australian driver Lex Davison and F1 legend Michael Schumacher are jointly the most successful drivers in the history of the Australian GP. Davison won it four times – 1954, 1957, 1958, 1961. Michael Schumacher has won it four times in the current venue of the Grand Prix and is the most successful driver in the modern era of the Australian GP. Schumacher won it in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.
Sebastian Vettel, who retired last season, has won the Australian GP thrice – 2011, 2017, 2018. When it comes to the current grid, Lewis Hamilton has won it two times – 2015 and 2018. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won the previous edition in 2022 – his maiden win in Melbourne. Meanwhile, among the Constructors’, Ferrari leads the pack with 13 wins, closely followed by McLaren (12).
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