The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has announced that five new grandstands will be built for this year’s race.

Albert Park, which has been the home of the Australian Grand Prix since 1996, was supposed to host the opening round of the 2020 championship, but after the withdrawal of the McLaren team just days before the first Practice session after several team members had tested positive for COVID-19, the race was cancelled, with the 2021 edition also going off the calendar after restrictions and logistical challenges put paid to any chance of Melbourne hosting a round of last year’s championship.

Although there were rumours that the race would be moved to Sydney or the Bend circuit near Adelaide, the head of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, Andrew Westacott, announced in the autumn of 2021 that the race would remain in Melbourne until its contract expired in 2025, ending all rumours of the race being moved.

Formula 1 will return to a dramatically different Albert Park on the weekend of the 8th-10th April, with the Turn 9-10 chicane being removed to create a high-speed right-hand corner whilst Turns 1, 3, 6, and 12 have been widened. These changes to the circuit are estimated to make lap times five seconds quicker as well as increase the average speed over a lap by 15km/h,

Off-track Albert Park will have five brand new grandstands for the 2022 race with Turns 5, 8, 11, 12 and the new sweeping right-hander, all receiving a new stand, whilst the Waite grandstand, that is located at the newly renamed Turn 10, will have an expanded grandstand.

As a result of these new stands, additional tickets for the race will go on sale on the eighth of February at 10:00 Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation’s general manager of marketing and experiences Arthur Gillion has said that this year’s race will be the best Melbourne has ever seen. Gillion also expressed his shock at the Australian public’s continued enthusiasm for the race.

“We’re blown away by the incredible enthusiasm ahead of the Formula 1 Heineken Australian Grand Prix 2022 – this year’s event is on track to be the best Melbourne has ever seen and we cannot wait to welcome crowds back; to Albert Park.”

“Not only will these additional grandstands allow more people to experience the Formula 1 Heineken Australian Grand Prix 2022’s electrifying atmosphere, they also offer new and exciting views of a faster and more competitive Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.”