Sunday 10th March 1996

A feast for Australian Formula One fans as the country hosted the first race of the season, less than four months after it had staged the last grand prix of the 1995 season. Damon Hill in his Williams Renault won the race but only because team-mate Jacques Villeneuve, on his F1 debut, led most of the way before being forced to retire with an oil leak. “I am sure everyone will agree Jacques was the moral winner, “Hill, who equalled his father’s record of 14 grand prix wins, said. He also revealed a loose stone had worked its way into his overalls and he spent much of the race shifting in his seat to try to dislodge it. “Every time I moved it slipped somewhere else even less comfortable.” It was also a memorable day for Martin Brundle who walked away from a spectacular 170mph opening-lap crash which left his Jordan ripped in two. He was able to take his place at the re-start in his spare car, but spun off on the opening lap. “I knew the car was a write-off,” Brundle said, “but I hadn’t travelled halfway round the world to sit and watch the race.”