Australian Grand Prix qualifying schedule changed

You'll have to set your alarm a little earlier for the Melbourne meeting this year! Indeed, the promoter of the Australian Grand Prix (March 31-April 2) was forced to review the qualifying program after a request from the FIA.

Since 2009 and the new schedule introduced, both qualifying and the race took place at 17:00 p.m. local time (7:00 a.m. French time) so that they ended against the backdrop of a sunset in Melbourne. This year, the situation will be somewhat different. If the Grand Prix is ​​kept at the same time, this is not the case for the qualifying session.

The schedule of the latter was brought forward by one hour, going from 17:00 p.m. to 16:00 p.m. (local time) or from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. in France. A decision which can be explained by glare problems due to the sunset.

« The reason is that there were some glare issues during qualifying, confided Andrew Westacott, director of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, in the columns of the Herald Sun (Melbourne Daily). The FIA ​​has told us that it wants qualifying to take place earlier. We're finalizing this at the moment, but it's likely to be sooner, just to make sure the visibility is ideal and not too low »

ALSO READ > Australian Grand Prix confirmed until 2037