Not even a hundred days after the conclusion of the 2024 season, Formula 1 is back on track for the first round of the 76th World Championship season.
A promisingly thrilling start given the team changes of several drivers and the debut of two young talents from Formula 2. Opening the season is the Australia GP, which had already been the inaugural round from 1996 to 2005, from 2007 to 2009, and from 2011 to 2019.
The GP data
According to the Brembo Group technicians who work closely with all Formula 1 drivers, the 5.278 km long Albert Park GP Circuit falls into the category of moderately demanding circuits for brakes. On a scale from 1 to 5, it has earned a difficulty index of 3 because, in a single lap, the brakes are used for less than 8.5 seconds, equal to 11 percent of the race duration. There are seven braking zones per lap: 4 High, 2 Medium, and 1 Light.
The toughest corner
The toughest corner of the Albert Park GP Circuit for the braking system is turn 11, due to a speed reduction of 184 km/h, from 317 km/h to 133 km/h. To achieve this, Formula 1 drivers apply a load of 153 kg on the brake pedal and experience a deceleration of 4.8 g. During the 1.8 seconds of braking, the single-seaters cover 96 meters while the braking power reaches 2,508 kW.
The italian revival
Fifty years ago, Scuderia Ferrari returned to winning the World Championship (both drivers and constructors) after a drought of over a decade. After a nightmare start to the season, in which Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni never made it to the podium in the first four races, the turning point came at the Monaco GP. On the streets of the Principality, Lauda secured his first win of the season for himself and Ferrari (a victory in Monte Carlo that Ferrari had been missing for twenty years), starting a winning streak that led him to dominate the rest of the season and be crowned world champion for the first time.
The brake setup of the time
The Ferrari 312T was a revolutionary car, starting with the transverse gearbox (hence the T in the car’s name), which made the car shorter and, therefore, more compact in terms of mass distribution, continuing with the 495-horsepower V12 engine and the more inclined spring-damper units. One of the innovations of the 312T was also its braking system with cast iron brake discs, which made their debut in the world of racing that very year, becoming a supplier to the Maranello-based company and initiating a collaboration that has never ceased.
Current brake discs
The brake discs used in Formula 1 for over four decades are made of carbon, a material that has significantly reduced stopping distances while maintaining the same effectiveness from the start to the checkered flag. This is also thanks to the research work carried out by Brembo, which produces front discs equipped with countless ventilation holes: from 1,000 to 1,110 holes per front disc, and 900 holes for the rear discs. Additionally, the discs feature different levels of cooling and mounting systems to the bell, as each team, in agreement with Brembo, chooses the most functional solution for their car’s design.