First Formula One race held in Melbourne, marking the Australian Grand Prix's move from Adelaide, won by Damon Hill in a Williams-Renault.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Damon Hill (Williams-Renault)
- Number of laps
- 58 laps
- Pole position
- Jacques Villeneuve (F1 debut)
- Third place
- Eddie Irvine (Ferrari)
- Championship round
- 1st race of 1996 F1 World Championship
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Australian Grand Prix relocated from Adelaide to Melbourne beginning in 1996, marking the first time the event was held at the Albert Park circuit. The race opened the 1996 Formula One World Championship season, bringing international attention to Melbourne as a new host city.
On 10 March 1996, Damon Hill won the 58-lap race at Melbourne. His Williams-Renault teammate Jacques Villeneuve, making his Formula One debut, started from pole and led much of the race before an oil leak in the closing laps allowed Hill to overtake him. Eddie Irvine completed the podium in third for Ferrari.
Hill's victory gave him an early lead in the 1996 World Championship standings, setting the tone for his eventual title that season. Villeneuve's strong debut performance signaled him as a major future contender, and he would go on to challenge Hill for the championship throughout the year.
Result
at Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne