F1 Australian GP Weekend Schedule: Practice, Qualifying, and Race Times

All ten returning teams will take to the track across the traditional three-day weekend of practice, qualifying, and the race. The grid also expands this year with Cadillac F1 joining as Formula 1’s 11th team, bringing the total field to 22 cars.

The expanded grid has already led to several regulatory adjustments. The most recent change occurs in the pit lane, where the speed limit has been reduced from 80 km/h to 60 km/h to enhance safety, as more cars are now operating during pit stops.

Qualifying procedures have also been revised to accommodate the larger grid. Six cars will now be eliminated in both Q1 and Q2 instead of five, while session durations have been set at 18 minutes for Q1, 15 minutes for Q2, and 13 minutes for Q3.

Below is the complete schedule for the race weekend at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.

Friday: Free Practice Sessions

Track action begins on Friday, March 6, with the opening two practice sessions.

March 06: Australia Grand Prix Free Practice 1 (FP1)

• Melbourne Track Time: 12:30 - 13:30
• United States & Canada: 17:30 - 18:30 PT, 20:30 - 21:30 ET (Previous day: March 05)
• Mexico City: at 19:30 - 20:30 CST (Previous day: March 05)
• Brazil (São Paulo): 22:30 - 23:30 BRT (Previous day: March 05)
• United Kingdom: 01:30 - 02:30 GMT
• Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, Spain (Europe): 02:30 - 03:30 CET
• Saudi Arabia and Qatar: 04:30 - 05:30 AST
• UAE & Azerbaijan: 05:30 - 06:30 GST/AZT
• India: 07:00 - 08:00 IST
• Singapore & China: 09:30 - 10:30 SST/CST/BJT
• Japan: 10:30 - 11:30 JST

March 06: Australian Grand Prix Free Practice 2 (FP2)

• Albert Park Track Time: 16:00 - 17:00
• United States & Canada: 21:00 - 22:00 PT (March 05), 00:00 - 01:00 ET (March 06)
• Mexico City: 23:00 - 00:00 CST (Previous day: March 05)
• United Kingdom: 05:00 - 06:00 GMT
• Brazil (São Paulo): 02:00 - 03:00
• Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, Spain (Europe): 06:00 - 07:00 CET
• Saudi Arabia and Qatar: 08:00 - 09:00 AST
• UAE & Azerbaijan: 09:00 - 10:00 GST/AZT
• India: 10:30 - 11:30 IST
• Singapore & China: 13:00 - 14:00 SST/CST/BJT
• Japan: 14:00 - 15:00 JST

Saturday: Final Practice and Qualifying

Saturday provides the final preparation window before the grid is set for race day.

March 07: Australia GP Free Practice 3 (FP3)

• Track Time: 12:30 - 13:30
• United States & Canada: 17:30 - 18:30 PT, 20:30 - 21:30 ET (Previous day: March 06)
• Mexico City: at 19:30 - 20:30 CST (Previous day: March 06)
• Brazil (São Paulo): 22:30 - 23:30 BRT (Previous day: March 06)
• United Kingdom: 01:30 - 02:30 GMT
• Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, Spain (Europe): 02:30 - 03:30 CET
• Saudi Arabia and Qatar: 04:30 - 05:30 AST
• UAE & Azerbaijan: 05:30 - 06:30 GST/AZT
• India: 07:00 - 08:00 IST
• Singapore & China: 09:30 - 10:30 SST/CST/BJT
• Japan: 10:30 - 11:30 JST

March 07: Australian GP Qualifying

• Australia Track Time: 16:00 – 17:00
• United States & Canada: 21:00 - 22:00 PT (March 06), 00:00 - 01:00 ET (March 07)
• Mexico City: 23:00 - 00:00 CST (Previous day: March 06)
• United Kingdom: 05:00 - 06:00 GMT
• Brazil (São Paulo): 02:00 - 03:00
• Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, Spain (Europe): 06:00 - 07:00 CET
• Saudi Arabia and Qatar: 08:00 - 09:00 AST
• UAE & Azerbaijan: 09:00 - 10:00 GST/AZT
• India: 10:30 - 11:30 IST
• Singapore & China: 13:00 - 14:00 SST/CST/BJT
• Japan: 14:00 - 15:00 JST

Qualifying determines the starting order for Sunday’s race, with drivers battling through the Q1, Q2, and Q3 knockout format to secure pole position.

What Time Does the Australian GP Race Start in the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Other Regions?

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix race takes place on Sunday, March 8.

March 08: Australia GP Race

• Melbourne Track Time: 15:00
• United States & Canada: 20:00 PT, 23:00 ET (Previous day: March 07)
• Mexico City: 22:00 CST (Previous day: March 07)
• United Kingdom: 04:00 GMT
• Brazil (São Paulo): 01:00
• Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Monaco, Germany, France, Hungary, Belgium, Spain (Europe): 05:00 CET
• Saudi Arabia and Qatar: 07:00 AST
• UAE & Azerbaijan: 08:00 GST/AZT
• India: 09:30 IST
• Singapore & China: 12:00 SST/CST/BJT
• Japan: 13:00 JST

The race will offer the first true glimpse of how drivers, teams, and their new-generation cars perform under Formula 1’s revised regulations, giving fans an early indication of the competitive order for the 2026 season.