{"id":33112,"date":"2026-03-05T17:16:36","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=33112"},"modified":"2026-03-05T17:19:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:19:04","slug":"asbestos-find-blows-melbournes-f1-timber-pit-lane-to-395-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/asbestos-find-blows-melbournes-f1-timber-pit-lane-to-395-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Asbestos Find Blows Melbourne&#8217;s F1 Timber Pit Lane to $395 Million"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Days out from the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Victoria&#8217;s Auditor-General has confirmed that the cost of rebuilding Albert Park&#8217;s pit building \u2014 set to include one of Australia&#8217;s largest timber superstructures \u2014 has blown out to $395 million, more than $115 million over budget, after asbestos was found during early earthworks on the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Unfortunately, there&#8217;s not much you can do apart from deal with asbestos when you find it to ensure that you&#8217;re providing a safe workplace and a safe building going forward,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-au\/news\/australia\/cost-of-new-melbourne-f1-grand-prix-pit-building-soars-due-to-asbestos-work\/ar-AA1XucbO?ocid=msedgdhp&amp;pc=ASTS&amp;cvid=69a80eb125a54bebab1256196de45e88&amp;ei=18\">according to Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes, who spoke to ABC Melbourne Radio,<\/a> who confirmed that the bill sits with the government and not the Australian Grand Prix Corporation under its contract with F1 rights holder Liberty Media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"9O1LjXfJlo0\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Albert Park BONUS F1 Pit Lane | Melbourne Australia | 4K Walking Tour\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9O1LjXfJlo0?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The new building replaces a temporary structure erected more than 30 years ago in the lead-up to the first race 29 years ago. \u201cThe current building does not meet the standards required by Formula 1 and the motorsport governing body, F\u00e9d\u00e9ration Internationale de l\u2019Automobile, to host a Formula 1 event,\u201d according to Development Victoria, the statutory body overseeing the project. \u201cThe pit building is being redeveloped to ensure Melbourne can continue to host the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix through to 2037.\u201d <br><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/melbournes-new-timberwaffle-pit-lane-locks-in-f1-for-next-decade\/\">Last month<\/a>, Wood Central reported that the new building will include a striking timber waffle roof design \u2014 joining a growing roster of F1 facilities swapping steel and concrete for hybrid cross-laminated timber systems. Renders produced by Woods Bagot show a massive roof that will eventually shelter 14 F1 team garages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;What excites us most about this design is how it elevates both elite motorsport and grassroots community sport under one roof,&#8221; said Woods Bagot Director Bruno Mendes, the project&#8217;s design lead. &#8220;We&#8217;ve engineered a facility that doesn&#8217;t just host one of the world&#8217;s premier racing events \u2014 it actively gives back to the local sporting community every day of the year.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside the canopy, race control suites, media workrooms and administration offices sit alongside the garages, with expansive hospitality terraces framed by CLT beams and full-height glazing offering circuit and lake views for 5,000 Paddock Club guests. When Grand Prix teams pack up each year, the complex converts into a community sporting hub with seven indoor courts and clubrooms for local football, netball and basketball clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"6mRegQ5GN1Y\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"BIG problem, BIGGER solution - Transforming Traffic Flow at Albert Park\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6mRegQ5GN1Y?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is always looking to upgrade facilities at Albert Park and is increasingly turning to modern methods of construction to deliver upgrades to the race track. Footage courtesy of Formula 1 Australia.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Delivered by a consortium of AECOM, Icon and Woods Bagot, the redevelopment draws on the same team behind the award-winning T3 Collingwood \u2014 Melbourne&#8217;s tallest hybrid timber office building, also built by Icon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drawing record attendance, the Treasurer was happy to spruik the benefits of hosting the race: &#8220;I can point to the fact that the Grand Prix is a major economic contributor to the state and I know that many people are going to get along to that race this weekend,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It fills beds in hotels and people going out for dinner, and it keeps everyone busy, and it supports thousands of jobs.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the existing building, constructed in 1995, Wood Central understands that full demolition is slated to begin days after Sunday&#8217;s race, with the new facility scheduled for completion ahead of the 2028 Grand Prix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To learn more about Melbourne&#8217;s Formula 1 Pit Lane building, one of Australia&#8217;s largest timber projects in development, <a href=\"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/melbournes-new-timberwaffle-pit-lane-locks-in-f1-for-next-decade\/\">click here for Wood Central&#8217;s special feature from last month.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Days out from the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Victoria&#8217;s Auditor-General has confirmed that the cost of rebuilding Albert Park&#8217;s pit building \u2014 set to include one of Australia&#8217;s largest timber superstructures \u2014 has blown out to $395 million, more than $115 million over budget, after asbestos was found during early earthworks on the site. &#8220;Unfortunately, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32670,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"default","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[3,38,50,37,35,47,32,46,39,68,31,56],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[70],"class_list":{"0":"post-33112","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-architecture","8":"category-architecture-and-design","9":"category-australia","10":"category-building-and-construction","11":"category-case-studies","12":"category-commercial","13":"category-global-news","14":"category-industry","15":"category-mass-timber","16":"category-sector","17":"category-top-stories","18":"category-victoria"},"authors":[{"term_id":70,"user_id":2,"is_guest":0,"slug":"jason","display_name":"Jason Ross","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/J-Ross-headshot.jpeg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33112"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33115,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33112\/revisions\/33115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32670"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33112"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=33112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}