F1 2026 Australian GP schedule: Begin occasions for the season opener in Melbourne
Lando Norris gained the 2025 World Championship, however many eyes are already on the upcoming season. The primary race of the 2026 Method 1 World Championship will happen in Melbourne, Australia, over the weekend of March 6-8, with an early begin for Italian followers. The weekend may even mark the debut of the brand new rules: no DRS, extra hybrid-focused energy models, and the ADUO system to make sure stability amongst engine producers. Beneath is a information to the three important periods in Italian native time.
The opening weekend of the 2026 F1 season
The 2026 Method 1 season kicks off in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix, the primary actual take a look at of the brand new technical period. Automobiles will run with out DRS, with energy models balanced 50/50 between inner combustion and electrical hybrid energy. The ADUO system may even come into play to keep up equity between engine producers. As soon as once more, European followers will face early wake-up calls, however the weekend guarantees pleasure from Friday onward.
Italian-time schedule for observe, qualifying, and race
For the 2026 Australian GP, the Central European Commonplace Time schedule for the three important periods is as follows. Free Follow 1 begins at 02:30 on Friday night time into Saturday, once we will see the 2026 “agile” automobiles in motion on the Albert Park straights with the brand new energetic aerodynamic package deal. Qualifying is ready for 06:00 Saturday morning, when monitor grip and vitality administration will probably be decisive for claiming the primary pole place of the 12 months.
The race itself begins at 05:00 Sunday morning Central European Commonplace Time, with the opening stint instantly testing the hybrid part of the brand new energy models and the groups’ skill to optimize the brand new electrical Override system as a substitute of the outdated DRS. It’s a must-watch occasion to see which groups have interpreted the 2026 rules most successfully.
2026 Australian GP schedule (Native time)
All occasions are proven in Native time.
DateSessionTime06 MarPractice 112:30 – 13:3006 MarPractice 216:00 – 17:0007 MarPractice 312:30 – 13:3007 MarQualifying16:00 – 17:0008 MarRace15:00
Jan 6, 2026
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