The Adelaide street course first hosted an F1 race in 1985, the circuit encircling a section of the city’s Victoria horse racing track. It became tradition that this circuit hosted the season’s final race and the event was noted for its exceptional organization. Unusually for street circuits, this one boasts a long straight on which the cars reached speeds exceeding 190mph. A set of demanding turns directly across from a former fruit warehouse earned the amusing nickname ‘banana’. The circuit is also characterized by a section of 90-degree turns, as the track moves from street to street. Run off areas are limited, as with any street circuit, with concrete walls on hand to punish driver errors.

The 1986 race proved a thrilling climax to the season, with title favourite Mansell suffering a spectacular blowout in his Williams, handing the race, and the championship, to Alain Prost in the Mclaren. In 1991 the circuit had the dubious honour of holding the shortest GP ever staged – Senna was declared the winner as the race was abandoned under a downpour after just 14 laps.

The 1994 event lives long in the memory for many – it was the scene of Michael Schumacher’s first title as the German controversially collided with Damon Hill to preserve his 1 point lead.

In 1996 the Australian GP, often marketed as ‘Thunder Down Under’, was relocated to Melbourne as the latter produced a better financial bid. There was to be a switch in schedule as well as Melbourne hosted the curtain raiser rather than the last race of each season.