Get ready for the Australian Grand Prix with our Race Ready guide, covering everything from the F1 schedule to travelling and accommodation

Welcome to the Race Ready for the Australian F1 Grand Prix, returning as the opening race of the 2026 season, 06-08 March 2026.

We’re here to ensure you have all the information available at your fingertips to enable you to get the most out of your live motorsport experience. Sign up here to receive an alert when tickets go on sale for 2027. We highly recommend doing so, as this is our fastest selling race on the calendar!

Australian F1 Grand Prix weekend schedule for 2026

The 2026 season opener marked 30 years of the Melbourne Grand Prix at Albert Park. You can see the full schedule of the Australian F1 Grand Prix in the table below.

THURSDAY 5 MARCH

LOCAL TIME (GMT+11)Heure britannique (GMT)SÉRIESESSION
9 h 4522:45 (Wed 4)PORSCHE CARRERA CUPSÉANCE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT
10:3523:35 (Wed 4)SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPPREMIÈRE SÉANCE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT
11:3500:35PORSCHE CARRERA CUPSESSION DE QUALIFICATION
12 h 2501:25SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPDEUXIÈME SÉANCE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT
14:2003:20SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPQUALIFYING SESSION PART 1
14:4203:42SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPQUALIFYING SESSION PART 2
15:3504:35PORSCHE CARRERA CUPPREMIÈRE COURSE
16 h 5505:55SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPPREMIÈRE COURSE

FRIDAY 6 MARCH

HEURE LOCALEHeure britanniqueSÉRIESESSION
08 h 5021:50 (Thu 5)FORMULE 3SÉANCE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT
10:0023:00 (Thu 5)FORMULE 2SÉANCE D'ENTRAÎNEMENT
12 h 3001:30FORMULE 1FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
14 h3 hFORMULE 3SESSION DE QUALIFICATION
14 h 5503 h 55FORMULE 2SESSION DE QUALIFICATION
16 h5 hFORMULE 1SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
17:2506:25SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPDEUXIÈME COURSE
18:307 h 30PORSCHE CARRERA CUPDEUXIÈME COURSE

SATURDAY 7 MARCH

HEURE LOCALEHeure britanniqueSÉRIESESSION
9 h22:00 (Fri 6)SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPQUALIFYING SESSION PART 3
09:2222:22 (Fri 6)SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPQUALIFYING SESSION PART 4
11 h 1500 h 15FORMULE 3COURSE DE SPRINT
12 h 3001:30FORMULE 1THIRD PRACTICE SESSION
14:1003:10FORMULE 2COURSE DE SPRINT
16 h5 hFORMULE 1SESSION DE QUALIFICATION
17:3506:35SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPTHIRD RACE
18:407 h 40PORSCHE CARRERA CUPTHIRD RACE

SUNDAY 8 MARCH

HEURE LOCALEHeure britanniqueSÉRIESESSION
08 h 5021:50 (Sat 7)FORMULE 3COURSE PHARE
10 h 1023:10 (Sat 7)SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIPFOURTH RACE
11:2500:25FORMULE 2COURSE PHARE
15 h4 hFORMULE 1AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

Support races at the Australian F1 Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix saw both Formula 2 and Formula 3 races take place ahead of the Grand Prix. There was also Sprint races held in both series on the Saturday.

Supercars Championship

As well as support races there were special events and features throughout the fan zone to keep the whole family entertained.

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit Map

Utilisez notre plan du circuit très pratique pour organiser votre voyage au mieux. Vous pouvez télécharger l'image ou faire une capture d'écran pour l'avoir sous la main pendant le week-end du Grand Prix.

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park map

Where is the best place to sit at the Australian F1 Grand Prix? 

It is essential to have your priorities in order when planning your trip to a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Use the map above to help you in your planning. The Australian Grand Prix is not one of the cheapest Formula 1 races to attend. Budget restrictions will come into play for many attending the race in Melbourne.

The best seats in the house at the Australian Grand Prix are arguably in the Brabham and the Jones Grandstands. These two house the most in-demand tickets at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. With good views of the first turns, these seats also offer good access to toilets, food and drink stands as well as souvenir shops.

One of the cheapest options at the Australian Grand Prix is the Waite Grandstand. This stand is named after the winner of the first ever Australian Grand Prix back in 1928, Adelaide-born Arthur Waite. These seats offer views of the cars at blistering top speeds as they head into turns 9 and 10. Giant screens will keep you up to date on the rest of the race and you can also access the General Admission areas – an option that is cheaper still.

For more detailed information on where to sit for the Grand Prix at Albert Park, check out our Australian Grand Prix Grandstand Guide.

Getting to the Australian F1 Grand Prix track

Getting to Australia for international racegoers will usually require an entire day’s travel. Travellers from Europe will lose around 10 hours, and from the United State 13-15 hours. Therefore it is worth factoring in potential jet lag into the trip. We advise leaving plenty of time between the race days and travel days in order ensure maximum recuperation and enjoyment of the event.

There are no direct flights from Europe to Melbourne. There are now some direct flights to Australia from London and Rome. However, these only go so far as Perth, where passengers need to take an internal flight to Melbourne (around 3h 30m).

Los Angeles and Honolulu are the only two US cities with direct flights to Melbourne. From other US cities and Vancouver (Canada), Sydney is the main hub and then travellers should take another short flight to Melbourne.

You could also take the train to Melbourne from Sydney. The journey takes around 12 hours and both day and overnight services are available. Prices start from 79 AUD. The sleeper option prices start from 235 AUD. There is also a bus service, which links the two cities in 10 hours and prices start from just 60 AUD – book with Firefly here.

Oscar Piastri with fans at the Australian Grand Prix

Once you are in Melbourne, depending one where your hotel is, you may be able to walk to the circuit on race days. One of the main hotel districts is just north of Albert Park and for many will be easily within walking distance. What better way to enjoy the south Australian sun in one of the world’s most beautiful cities?

Public Transport in Melbourne

Public transport in Melbourne is very efficient and lines linking the city centre to the circuit are available for free on Formula 1 race weekends. The most popular way of reaching the track from Melbourne city centre is the tram service – also free!

Bear in mind that the services will be extremely busy and we would recommend walking where possible. Driving to the circuit is not recommended.

The main train station in Melbourne city centre is Flinders Street which links the circuit at Albert Park.

Important: To use public transport in Melbourne, you must have a myki card and swipe it on each trip you take.

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit Track Stats

MELBOURNE GRAND PRIX CIRCUITSTATISTIQUES DE PISTE
PREMIER GRAND PRIX1996
LONGUEUR DU TOUR5.278 km
RECORD DU TOUR1:19.813 Charles Leclerc (2024)
LAPS58
DISTANCE DE LA COURSE 306.124 km
VIRAGES14

Where to stay at the Australian F1 Grand Prix

One of the the biggest attractions of the Australian Grand Prix is that the race is held in the centre of one of the world’s most popular cities. Melbourne is situated on the warm southern coast of Australia, attracting over 40 million visitors each year.

Hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix in a city of over five million people means that accommodation is not hard to come by. There is a very high density of hotels in South Melbourne which sits a walkable distance to the north of the circuit.

Here are three examples of hotels close to the Albert Park Circuit, ranging from budget to luxury options:

Informations importantes

Urgences

000 is the number to call if you encounter an emergency situation during your trip.

Bon à savoir

The local currency is the Australian Dollar (AUD). The exchange rate is around 1 GBP to 1.92 AUD. All goods and services are paid in the local currency.

The official language is English.

Prohibited Items at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit (Point 5, Page 7 in T&Cs)

Service clientèle

Si vous avez besoin d'aide pendant le week-end de course, n'hésitez pas à contacter notre service client via le Centre d'aide de Motorsport Tickets.

Foire aux questions

Si vous avez d'autres questions ou souhaitez obtenir plus d'informations, rendez-vous dans notre rubrique FAQ.