Albert Park
The circuit runs around the lake at Albert Park, just a few kilometres from the centre of Melbourne. In spite of being a street circuit based on public roads, it has all the qualities of a "proper" race track, in so much as it has a natural, organic feel, and named corners, which always speak of the history and character of any circuit.
In terms of layout, I think it's instantly recognisable, it has a good range of corners, and a fair amount of character. It obviously lacks the elevation changes of Spa, and the corner combinations of Silverstone, but that's being very picky indeed. In it's own right it's a great circuit, which the drivers and fans alike seem to enjoy.
Winners
Unfortunately for the home fans, they haven't had a lot to cheer about in terms of Australian drivers. I'm sure Ricciardo will win his home Grand Prix at some point in his career, but when he does, he'll be the first Australian to win at Albert Park since Doug Whiteford in 1953, and the first ever to win a Formula 1 Australian GP.
British drivers have won the most Australian F1 GPs, winning seven GPs in Melbourne and two in Adelaide, and McLaren have been the most succesful constructor.
Looking at multiple winners, Michael Schumacher leads the pack having won it four times, with Jenson Button next, having won it three times in four years 2009-12. Of our current crop of drivers, Kimi Raikonnen, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton have all won twice.
Last year's winner was Sebastian Vettel, with Ferrari breaking Mercedes' three year stranglehold on the top step of the podium, and grabbing the Scuderia's first win here in a decade.
Crowds
It seems the folks down under have really taken to the Australian GP, so it always looks like a well attended race with a bouyant atmosphere. Crowds often top 100,000 on race day, and are not far off that for practise and qualifying. In 2015 the race weekend attendance was nearly 300,000, bettered only by the British Grand Prix.
