2013 Australian Grand Prix

Report

The grid was reduced to twenty-two entries after the collapse of HRT F1 in December 2012, prompting changes to qualifying. The three-round knockout system remained, but only six cars were eliminated in the first period and six in the second, while the top ten advanced to the final ten minutes unchanged. During the winter, the FIA restricted DRS use to designated zones in practice and qualifying.

However, a telemetry glitch during Friday practice made DRS completely unrestricted, forcing stewards to rely on driver honesty and threaten penalties for misuse. The same error prevented stewards from notifying drivers of warning flags via telemetry, leaving flag displays and team warnings as the only methods. Pirelli supplied super-soft and medium compound tyres, differing from the soft and medium selection of 2012.