The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix schedule

On the eve of the first round of the World Championship Formula 1 At the start of the season, all eyes are on the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the scene of the first real performances of the year. After winter testing that was full of lessons but sometimes misleading, the eleven teams on the 2026 grid are preparing to get down to business with an immediate objective: to confirm, or reveal for some, the progress seen during the off-season.

For the expected frontrunners, this first Grand Prix of the 2026 season must already confirm a hierarchy. Classic Ferrari for sale will look to confirm his good form during testing with the best time of Charles LeclercExpected to be the favorite due to the perceived superiority of their engine, Mercedes Benz They will also need to convert that success into reality under the conditions of a race weekend. For their part, Red Bull et McLaren They are keeping a low profile, especially the Austrian team which is now designing its own engine group, while the Woking-based team still doesn't really know where it stands, not really the leader, but always in the top 4. Qualifying (to be followed on Saturday, March 7, at 4 a.m. French time) will certainly be the first judge of this long-awaited hierarchy.

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In parallel, the Formula 2 and Formula 3 They too are launching their season at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit. The direct feeder series to F1 will see the arrival of Rafael Câmara, the reigning F3 champion, determined to string together victories with Invicta. In the lower category, his successor at Trident, Freddie Slater, Italian and Emirati F4 champion in 2024, and then FRECA champion the following year, is already considered a title contender. Three French drivers will compete in the same category as the Briton: Théophile Naël, signed with Campos for his second year in F3; Alessandro Giusti, who has re-signed with MP Motorsport; and rookie Enzo Deligny, who comes directly from FRECA, where he finished third in the championship with four wins, and who will drive for Van Amersfoort Racing.

📊 The Albert Park Circuit in numbers

• First Grand Prix: 1996
• Number of turns: 58
• Length: 5,278 km
• Race distance: 306,124 km
• Turns: 14
• Overtake mode activation zones: 1
• Straight line mode zones (DRS replacement): 5
• Lap record: 1: 15.096 - Lando Norris (McLaren) 2025

🕒 Australian Grand Prix schedule and TV channels in Melbourne

Formula 1

Friday 6 March
2:15 PM. - Free Practice 1 (Canal+ Sport)
5h45 - Free Practice 2 (Canal+ Sport)

Saturday March, 7
2h15 - Free Practice 3 (Canal+ Sport)
5h40 - Qualifications (Canal+)
8h40 - Replay (Canal+ Sport)

Sunday 8 March
5h - Grand Prix (Canal+)
8:05, 13:30 – Replays (Canal+ Sport)
20h25 - Replay (Canal+)

Formula 2

Friday 6 March
4h55 - Qualifications (Canal+ Sport)

Saturday March, 7
4h05 - Sprint Race (Canal+ Sport)

Sunday 8 March
1h20 - Main race (Canal+ Sport)

Formula 3

Friday 6 March
3h55 - Qualifications (Canal+ Sport)

Saturday March, 7
1h10 - Sprint Race (Canal+ Sport)
23h30 - Main Race (Canal+ Sport)

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🏆 The F1 winter testing standings ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne

F1 2026 Ranking – Drivers

1) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:31.992
2) Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0″811
3) Oscar piastri (McLaren) – +0.869
4) Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0″879
5) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +1″117
6) George Russell (Mercedes) – +1″205
7) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +1″416
8) Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1″429
9) Oliver Bearman (Haas) – +1″495
10) Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – +1″763
11) Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – +1″826
12) Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – +1.995
13) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +2″157
14) Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +2.209
15) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +2″268
16) Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +2″350
17) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +2″540
18) Alexander albon (Williams) – +2563
19) Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – +3″298
20) Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) – +3″377
21) Lance stroll (Aston Martin) – +3″982
22) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +4544

F1 2026 Ranking – Manufacturers

1) Mercedes – 6,202 km
2) Haas – 6,118 km
3) Ferrari – 6,081 km
4) McLaren – 5,777 km
5) Racing Bulls – 5,458 km
6) Alpine – 5 km
8) Red Bull – 5,048 km
7) Audi – 4,942 km
9) Williams – 4,276 km
10) Cadillac – 3,935 km
11) Aston Martin – 2,115 km