Media Statement
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP
Shadow Minister for Emergency Management
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Federal Member for Maranoa
3 August 2026
Federal Member for Maranoa and Shadow Minister for Tourism David Littleproud has written to the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, calling for a corner at Albert Park to be named "Leyburn" in recognition of the town's place in Australian motorsport history.
Leyburn, a small town in the Maranoa electorate, hosted the Australian Grand Prix in 1949 on a circuit laid out along an airstrip. That history is kept alive today through the Historic Leyburn Sprints, held annually to commemorate the event.
Mr Littleproud said the request was a fitting way to honour the full breadth of the nation's Grand Prix history.
"Melbourne is rightly regarded as the sporting capital of Australia, and Albert Park stands as one of the finest circuits on the Formula One calendar," Mr Littleproud said.
"But this history isn't just Melbourne's story it belongs to towns like Leyburn too. Naming one of the circuit's unnamed corners 'Leyburn' would be a low-cost, fitting gesture that recognises where it all started."
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Historic Leyburn Sprints, as well as the 77th anniversary of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix, with celebrations to be held on the weekend of 15 and 16 August 2026. The Historic Leyburn Sprints remains one of Queensland's most significant motoring events and one of the state's largest regional gatherings, drawing more than 18,000 visitors each year to the small Southern Darling Downs community.
Historic Leyburn Sprints President Tricia Chant welcomed Mr Littleproud's advocacy.
"Leyburn is a tiny rural community with a big history, highlighted by the 1949 Australian Grand Prix. We'll see three surviving cars from 1949 and several later Grand Prix drivers visit the race site during our 30th anniversary celebrations on 15-16 August," Ms Chant said.
"Leyburn has a direct link to Melbourne's modern-day Formula 1 grand prix, and it would be wonderful to see this enshrined with a dedicated corner at Albert Park, thanks to this proposal by Mr Littleproud."
Mr Littleproud said he looked forward to continuing to work with the Historic Leyburn Sprints organisers to keep this history alive.
"I want to thank Tricia and the whole Historic Leyburn Sprints committee for the work they do to keep this piece of our history front and centre. I'll keep advocating to make sure Leyburn's place in Grand Prix history gets the recognition it deserves."
