2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix: How to watch, race start time, qualifying schedule and weather

Follow us on Google Discover

Formula 1 returns for the 2026 season as the championship heads to the Albert Park Circuit for the Australian Grand Prix. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s race.

The new campaign marks the start of a new era in Formula 1, with the biggest regulation overhaul in the sport’s history. The changes introduce smaller, lighter cars alongside new power units featuring a 50-50 split between internal combustion and hybrid energy.

Pre-season testing in Bahrain suggested that both Mercedes and Ferrari have started the year strongly, although the timing sheets indicated a tightly packed field with no single team clearly dominating.

There is also a new face on the grid for 2026, as Arvid Lindblad steps up to Racing Bulls, replacing Isack Hadjar after the French driver was promoted to Red Bull to partner Max Verstappen.

Cadillac will also make their Formula 1 debut this season, with the American outfit signing experienced veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their driver line-up, marking both drivers’ return to the grid.

Lando Norris begins the season as the reigning world champion. However, the McLaren driver is not widely considered the early favourite for the title, with much of the attention instead focused on George Russell, who many expect to set the pace in the early stages of the season.

What’s your podium prediction for the Australian Grand Prix? 🇦🇺

Let us know in the comments below!

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

When is the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, including full weekend schedule

The 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will take place from 6–8 March, marking the start of a brand new season.

Sunday’s race at the Albert Park Circuit is scheduled to begin at 3:00pm local time in Melbourne, which means an early 4:00am start for viewers in the UK.

How to watch the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, including free highlights

Full details on how to watch the 2026 Australian Grand Prix in your country can be found on the official Formula 1 website.

In Australia, fans can watch the race through Kayo or Foxtel. Kayo is a streaming platform that gives subscribers access to more than 50 live sports, including full coverage of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with plans starting from $29.99 per month.

Foxtel is currently offering a significant discount on its streaming service until 18 May 2026. Its basic package, which includes sport, starts from $69 per month and also provides access to Foxtel Plus and HBO Max Basic.

UK viewers can watch the Australian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports Main Event, with additional coverage — including practice and qualifying — available on the Sky Sports F1 channel. Sky Sports packages start from £22 per month. NOW TV customers with a Sky Sports pass will also be able to watch the race and full weekend coverage live, with passes starting from £27.99.

Free-to-air highlights of the race in Melbourne will be shown on Channel 4 at 1pm on Sunday 8 March.

In the United States, Formula 1 coverage will move to Apple TV after the broadcaster secured the rights from ESPN last season. Fans who previously subscribed to F1 TV may see savings, having paid $129 per year last season compared to Apple TV’s $99 annual subscription.

Formula 1 will also upload race highlights from the Australian Grand Prix to its official YouTube channel on the Monday following the race.

What is the weather forecast for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix?

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix weekend is expected to be warm and largely dry, although light cloud cover and a gentle breeze are forecast for Sunday’s race, with only a small chance of rain earlier in the morning.

Friday is set to be the warmest day of the weekend, with sunny conditions, light winds and highs of around 26°C.

Cloud cover is expected to increase on Saturday, but conditions should remain dry and bright ahead of qualifying, with temperatures reaching a high of 24°C.

Sunday’s race at the Albert Park Circuit is forecast to be slightly cooler, with highs of around 21°C and a light southerly breeze of approximately 11mph.

What is the Pirelli tyre allocation for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix?

Pirelli have announced the selection of the three softest compound tyres for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, which includes the C3 Hard, C4 Medium and C5 soft, remaining the same as the last two grands prix around the Albert Park Circuit.

The track’s layout, with fast straights and a mixture of low and medium speed corners, means that tyre degradation is not particularly high and comes more from wear than heat. This is partly due to the fact that the race takes place on public roads, with the asphalt smoother than a normal grand prix track.

Despite low expectations of any real issues with the tyres, the change in regulations could see a shift in how teams choose to approach the first race of the season.

Where is the 2026 Australian Grand Prix held?

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix will take place at the Albert Park Circuit, a 5.278 km (3.280 mi) street track located in Melbourne, Australia.

This year’s race marks the 29th time the event has been held at Albert Park since the Australian Grand Prix moved from Adelaide in 1996. The race was absent from the Formula 1 calendar in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Albert Park is set to remain a staple of the Formula 1 calendar for years to come, with the circuit’s current contract securing its place on the schedule until at least the end of 2035.

Who won the 2026 Australian Grand Prix?

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix was won by polesitter Lando Norris after a dramatic wet race that saw three drivers crash out on the opening laps. Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson also retired later in the race as the challenging conditions caught several drivers out.

The changing weather created plenty of drama at the front of the field, with Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen all struggling at times. Verstappen briefly took the lead during the race, while Piastri spun off and became stuck in the gravel, dropping down the order before eventually recovering to finish ninth.

Elsewhere, Kimi Antonelli delivered an impressive performance on his Formula 1 debut. The Mercedes rookie started 16th on the grid but charged through the field to finish fourth.