F1 Australian GP: Weather forecast, schedule and how to watch

It seemed like Formula 1 was only away for five minutes, because its 2026 campaign starts this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix to kickstart a new era for the championship.

This year will debut a regulation overhaul, arguably the biggest in F1 history, with changes to both the chassis and power unit meaning the pecking order is currently an estimation game.

The only thing to go off at the moment is pre-season form with nine days of testing across Barcelona and Bahrain, which also saw the debut of two new teams: Audi and Cadillac.

Neither are expected to be at the sharp end of the grid though, with McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari the likely contenders for pole - but could anybody spring a surprise, like Brawn from 2009?

Well only time will tell, so here is all the information you need for the grand prix at Albert Park.

Where can I watch the F1 Australian GP?

F1 is in its usual destination for fans in the United Kingdom, with Sky Sports entering its 14th year of broadcasting the championship. It will live broadcast every session of the 2026 campaign, which means the action can also be streamed via the Sky Go app or NOW TV. UK fans can also watch qualifying and race highlights in the same place: Channel 4.

There is change in the United States, however, as Apple TV is now F1's exclusive broadcast holder, having taken over from ESPN for 2026. The streaming platform has obtained a landmark five-year deal, understood to be worth approximately $140m annually, with every session available to Apple TV subscribers. 

Select races are also available on the Apple TV app, for free and the races in Miami, Monaco, Britain, Italy and Austin will also be broadcast live in IMAX theatres across the US. It means F1 TV is no longer the standalone streaming service in the US, and Apple also struck a deal with Netflix, which entails it broadcasting Season 8 of Drive to Survive while the Canadian Grand Prix will also be broadcast on Netflix. 

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls leads Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone / LAT Images via Getty Images

How can I follow the F1 Australian GP live?

Live coverage of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix weekend is available on Motorsport.com with commentary of every session, starting with first practice.

F1 Australian GP schedule 

Free practice 1

Local time Your time

Event	Date
Australian GP	06 Mar 12:30
Australian GP FP1	06 Mar 12:30

Free practice 2

Local time Your time

Event	Date
Australian GP	06 Mar 16:00
Australian GP FP2	06 Mar 16:00

Free practice 3

Local time Your time

Event	Date
Australian GP	07 Mar 12:30
Australian GP FP3	07 Mar 12:30

Qualifying

Local time Your time

Event	Date
Australian GP	07 Mar 16:00
Australian GP QU	07 Mar 16:00

Race

Local time Your time

Event	Date
Australian GP	08 Mar 15:00
Australian GP RACE	08 Mar 15:00

What is the weather forecast for the F1 Australian GP?

Friday 6 March: Free Practice 1 and 2

The opening day of the 2026 F1 campaign is expected to be hot and dry, with local forecasts suggesting that air temperature will be around 20C in Melbourne for the start of first practice. It’ll be slightly cloudy, but with a less-than-5% chance of rain and a calm wind speed of 3mph.

It should be quite humid though with levels at 65%, though that is expected to decrease to 46% in time for FP2. That is because the cloud cover should have cleared by then, with second practice occurring under clear skies at 23C and, again, relatively calm winds.

Saturday 7 March: Free Practice 3 and Qualifying

Conditions should be more overcast for day two of this weekend’s grand prix, but still with a less than 5% chance of rain while air temperature is at 19C in Melbourne for the start of FP3. The wind speed is expected to be around 7mph with 65% humidity, dropping to 52% in time for qualifying. Qualifying should be cloudy, but still hot and dry with a less-than-5% chance of rain at 21C.

Sunday 8 March: Race

Conditions in Melbourne should be sunny again for race day, with clear blue skies and a less than 5% chance of rain. It is also expected to be hot, around 20C for the start of the race, which should rise to 23C by the end with humidity levels starting at approximately 58% before dropping to 48%.

F1 2026 grid