MELBOURNE: Nearly 420,000 spectators poured into Albert Park over the Australian Grand Prix weekend, organisers said Monday, to set a new attendance record at the circuit, and one of the highest in the sport’s history. Melbourne was back on the calendar this year after missing out in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions. It returned with a bang as fans flocked to the track to witness Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc win his second race of the year to stretch his world championship lead. Organisers said 419,114 people attended over the four days, eclipsing the previous record of 401,000 set at Melbourne’s inaugural grand prix in 1996. A bumper 128,294 watched the Sunday’s race, with 55,107 turning up on Thursday just to soak up the atmosphere, despite it being a day when no Formula One cars took to the track. The Melbourne numbers topped the 400,000 who attended last year’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which was Formula One’s highest attendance in 2021. But they were short of the 520,000 who flooded the 1995 race weekend in Adelaide — the last time the Australian Grand Prix was held there before switching to Melbourne.