Formula 1
Round 1 08.03.2026
Australian Grand Prix
Albert Park, Melbourne • Australia
Season opener on a semi-permanent circuit with high grip.
Weekend timetable
How the weekend runs
Session times are listed in local track time and can shift by a few minutes on race morning.
- 1 Friday · Practice 1 12:30 · Practice 2 16:00
- 2 Saturday · Practice 3 12:30 · Qualifying 16:00
- 3 Sunday · Pit walk 10:30 · Race 15:00
The circuit
What to expect from the track
Albert Park is a part-time circuit rebuilt around a public lake, so the surface starts green and rubber builds all weekend. The fastest section between turns 8 and 11 is where a qualifying lap is won.
- Series
- Formula 1
- Circuit
- Albert Park, Melbourne
- Race day
- 08.03.2026
- Country
- Australia
Getting in: the gates
Which entrance to use and what it puts you closest to.
- Gate 1, Albert Park Drive — fastest access from the tram stop.
- Gate 5, Lakeside — quietest entrance, closest to turns 9 and 10.
- Gate 10, Canberra Avenue — paddock club and media access.
Fan tips for the weekend
Small things that make a long race day go smoothly.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen: the lake side has almost no shade.
- Trams run every few minutes from the city, so buy the day pass before Friday.
- Walk the back of the circuit on Thursday, when access is free.
Formula 1 coverage
Related stories
Tech • 8 min read
2026 F1 Regulations: What Was Removed and What Changes
The biggest rule rewrite in a decade deletes the MGU-H and DRS, splits the power unit 50/50 and puts moving wings on the car.
Team News • 5 min read
F1 2026 Grid: The Drivers and Their New Cars
Every driver is learning a machine that makes its lap time with active wings and a battery-led power unit, not a DRS button.
Team News • 6 min read
F1 2026 Teams: Who Is Ready for the New Rules
The new power unit rewards manufacturers who committed early and punishes anyone carrying the assumptions of the old era.