Race Ready: Australia F1 Schedule and Travel Guide

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) | UK TIME (GMT) | SERIES | SESSION
09:45 | 22:45 (Wed 4) | PORSCHE CARRERA CUP | PRACTICE SESSION
10:35 | 23:35 (Wed 4) | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
11:35 | 00:35 | PORSCHE CARRERA CUP | QUALIFYING SESSION
12:25 | 01:25 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
14:20 | 03:20 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | QUALIFYING SESSION PART 1
14:42 | 03:42 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | QUALIFYING SESSION PART 2
15:35 | 04:35 | PORSCHE CARRERA CUP | FIRST RACE
16:55 | 05:55 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | FIRST RACE

FRIDAY 6 MARCH

LOCAL TIME | UK TIME | SERIES | SESSION
08:50 | 21:50 (Thu 5) | FORMULA 3 | PRACTICE SESSION
10:00 | 23:00 (Thu 5) | FORMULA 2 | PRACTICE SESSION
12:30 | 01:30 | FORMULA 1 | FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
14:00 | 03:00 | FORMULA 3 | QUALIFYING SESSION
14:55 | 03:55 | FORMULA 2 | QUALIFYING SESSION
16:00 | 05:00 | FORMULA 1 | SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
17:25 | 06:25 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | SECOND RACE
18:30 | 07:30 | PORSCHE CARRERA CUP | SECOND RACE

SATURDAY 7 MARCH

LOCAL TIME | UK TIME | SERIES | SESSION
09:00 | 22:00 (Fri 6) | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | QUALIFYING SESSION PART 3
09:22 | 22:22 (Fri 6) | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | QUALIFYING SESSION PART 4
11:15 | 00:15 | FORMULA 3 | SPRINT RACE
12:30 | 01:30 | FORMULA 1 | THIRD PRACTICE SESSION
14:10 | 03:10 | FORMULA 2 | SPRINT RACE
16:00 | 05:00 | FORMULA 1 | QUALIFYING SESSION
17:35 | 06:35 | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | THIRD RACE
18:40 | 07:40 | PORSCHE CARRERA CUP | THIRD RACE

SUNDAY 8 MARCH

LOCAL TIME | UK TIME | SERIES | SESSION
08:50 | 21:50 (Sat 7) | FORMULA 3 | FEATURE RACE
10:10 | 23:10 (Sat 7) | SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP | FOURTH RACE
11:25 | 00:25 | FORMULA 2 | FEATURE RACE
15:00 | 04:00 | FORMULA 1 | AUSTRALIAN 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.

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

Use our handy track map to plan your trip as best you can. You can download the image or take a screenshot to have it to hand during the Grand Prix weekend.

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.

Australia Grandstand Guide: Where to watch the Australian Grand Prix

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.

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 CIRCUIT | TRACK STATS
FIRST GRAND PRIX | 1996
LAP LENGTH | 5.278 km
LAP RECORD | 1:19.813 Charles Leclerc (2024)
LAPS | 58
RACE DISTANCE | 306.124 km
TURNS | 14

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:

Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Docklands

Waterfront Melbourne Apartments

United Places Hotel Botanic Gardens

Important Information

Emergencies

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

Good to Know

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)

Customer Service

If you require assistance during the race weekend, feel free to contact our customer service team through the Motorsport Tickets Help Centre.

FAQs

If you have some more queries or would like more information, head over to our FAQs section.