2006 Australian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Renault and Alonso have won the opening two races. Schumacher arrives at his third race of the season still searching for a first win after an engine-change penalty dropped him deep in the field in Malaysia.

Previous race

In Malaysia, Giancarlo Fisichella took his third and final Formula One victory from pole position, heading a Renault one-two with Alonso — the team’s first one-two finish since their return as a constructor in 2002. Jenson Button took Honda’s first podium since their return as a full constructor. Räikkönen was a first-lap casualty after a collision with Christian Klien’s Red Bull, which damaged both cars’ suspension.

Between-race developments

The Australian Grand Prix returns to its traditional position as round three rather than the usual season opener, having been moved to April to avoid a clash with the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The pre-season test was also rescheduled as a result, moving from Barcelona to Bahrain. Murray Walker returns to the commentary box for a one-off appearance on Australia’s Network Ten.