How to watch the 2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix
All the information on how to watch the F1 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne, including timings and schedule.
This is how to watch the F1 season-opening 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne, which takes place from 6-8 March.
We’ve also listed the start times for all of this weekend’s F1 sessions below, in both Melbourne time and UK time.
After three pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain over the past couple of months, F1 is finally ready to enter its brave new era featuring the biggest regulation shake-up in the world championship’s history.
Ferrari set the pace in pre-season testing in Bahrain, but it is impossible to tell the exact competitive order heading into the season opener at Melbourne.
F1’s top four teams are expected to remain McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, but the order remains uncertain.
F1 welcomes an 11th team in the shape of Cadillac, taking the grid up to 22 cars with the return of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Last year’s Australian Grand Prix was held in wet conditions and was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Norris would go on to pip Verstappen to the world championship crown.
When is the 2026 F1 Australian GP?
The Australian Grand Prix runs from 6-8 March.
Two practice sessions will be held on Friday 6 March.
Final practice and qualifying will take place on Saturday 7 March, before the season-opening grand prix is on Sunday 8 March.
What are the start times for the 2026 F1 Australian GP?
Friday 6 March:
12:30 (Melbourne) / 01:30 (UK) - Australian GP Free Practice 1
16:00 (Melbourne) / 05:00 (UK) - Australian GP Free Practice 2
Saturday 7 March
12:30 (Melbourne) / 01:30 (UK) - Australian GP Free Practice 3
16:00 (Melbourne) / 05:00 (UK) - Australian GP Qualifying
Sunday 8 March
15:00 (Melbourne) / 04:00 (UK) - Australian Grand Prix
How to watch the 2026 F1 Australian GP in the UK?
Sky Sports F1 is showing every session of the 2026 F1 season in the UK.
With a Sky Sports subscription, you’ll be able to stream the 2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix online via Sky Go.
A subscription to Sky Sports in the UK starts from £22 per month.
Alternatively, there is a free-to-air option in the UK. Channel 4 will be providing free highlights programmes throughout the 2026 F1 season.
Crash.net provides live text updates for all F1 track sessions, as well as reports and news.
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