Everyone thinks they know how the Melbourne race weekend works. You show up, you hear the V6 hybrids scream, you see some Ferraris, and you go home. But the Australian Grand Prix 2025 schedule is actually a massive shift from what we’ve seen over the last few years. For starters, Albert Park is back in its rightful place as the season opener.
No more waiting for Bahrain or Saudi Arabia to kick things off. This is the first time since 2019 that Melbourne gets the honors of the very first lights out of the year.
Because it’s the season opener, the vibe is totally different. The teams are nervous. The cars are literally brand new—sometimes still with wet paint—and nobody actually knows who is fast yet. If you're planning your weekend around the old 2024 timings, you're gonna miss the best parts. Honestly, the Thursday and Friday sessions are where the real drama happens before the main event.
The Full Australian Grand Prix 2025 schedule Break-down
You’ve got to realize that the event isn't just a Sunday race. It's a four-day marathon. If you only show up for the Grand Prix, you’re basically paying for a full steak and only eating the garnish.
The action officially starts on Thursday, March 13. Most people ignore Thursday because there are no F1 cars on track, but that’s a mistake. You get the Supercars and the Porsche Carrera Cup. These guys drive like they’ve got nothing to lose, mostly because they don’t have the billion-dollar budgets of Red Bull.
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Friday, March 14 is when the big boys come out.
- Practice 1 (FP1): 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (Local Time)
- Practice 2 (FP2): 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Local Time)
Between those sessions, you’ve got the F2 and F3 qualifying. These kids are desperate to impress the F1 scouts, so they take risks that would make Lewis Hamilton sweat. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. And it’s arguably more entertaining than a quiet FP1 session where the teams are just testing aero sensors.
Saturday, March 15 is the high-tension day.
- Practice 3 (FP3): 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
- Qualifying: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Qualifying at Albert Park is a beast. Since the track was modified a couple of years ago, it’s much faster. One tiny slip on the grass at Turn 12 and your car is a pile of carbon fiber in the wall.
Then we hit the main event: Sunday, March 16.
The race itself starts at 3:00 PM local time.
Wait. Why 3:00 PM?
It’s all about the European TV audience. If they start much later, the sun gets too low and blinds the drivers (we saw this happen a few years back). If they start earlier, people in London have to wake up at 2:00 AM. 3:00 PM is the sweet spot, but it means the race ends just as the shadows start stretching across the track, making it incredibly tricky for the drivers to see the bumps in the road.
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Why the 2025 Opener Feels Different
Usually, by the time F1 gets to Australia, we already know if Max Verstappen is going to win every race by 30 seconds. But in 2025, we’re going in blind. We haven't seen these cars compete yet.
Lewis Hamilton is in a Ferrari. Read that again.
Seeing Hamilton in red at Albert Park is going to be one of those "where were you" moments in sports history. The Australian Grand Prix 2025 schedule has been built around this massive hype. The gates open early every day because the organizers are expecting record-breaking crowds—even beating the 450,000+ people who showed up last time.
Best Places to Watch (And How to Get There)
If you have General Admission tickets, don't just sit at the first hill you see.
Brocky’s Hill (Turns 9 and 10) is legendary, but it’s packed by 8:00 AM.
Kinda want a secret tip? Head to the back of the circuit near Turn 11. It’s a high-speed chicane where the cars look like they’re defying physics. You can hear the downforce. Literally. It sounds like a giant tearing a bedsheet.
Transport is a nightmare if you try to drive. Basically, don't.
The city puts on free trams for ticket holders. Take the light rail from Southern Cross or the trams from Flinders Street. They run every couple of minutes, and honestly, it’s the only way to get in without losing your mind in Melbourne traffic.
TV and Streaming: Don't Get Caught Out
If you’re watching from the US, the Australian Grand Prix 2025 schedule is a "stay up late" situation.
The race is at midnight ET on Saturday night / Sunday morning.
- USA: ESPN and ESPN+ have the rights. They usually run the Sky Sports feed, which is the gold standard.
- Australia: Kayo and Foxtel have every session live in 4K. Channel 10 usually does the race live and free, but check their local listings for the practice sessions.
- UK: Sky Sports F1 is the only place for live coverage. Channel 4 will have highlights, but by the time they air, you’ll probably have seen the results on Instagram anyway.
Surprising Details Most Fans Miss
Did you know the track is actually a public road? Every year, the city has to spend weeks resurfacing and building walls, then they tear it all down again.
This means the "track grip" changes every single hour. On Thursday, the road is "green" and slippery because it’s just normal tarmac used by commuters. By Sunday, it’s covered in sticky Pirelli rubber. If a driver misses the racing line by two inches, they’re on the "marbles" (the little bits of discarded rubber) and they’ll slide off like they're on ice.
Also, the support categories like the F2 and F3 are part of the official FIA ladder. These aren't just "filler" races. You're watching the next Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris. The 2025 schedule gives them a lot of track time, so make sure you’re in your seat for their Feature Races on Sunday morning before the F1 madness begins.
Actionable Tips for Your Weekend
- Download the App: The "AustGP" app has live track maps. It’s a lifesaver when you’re trying to find a beer or a bathroom in a crowd of 100,000 people.
- Sunscreen is non-negotiable: The Melbourne sun is brutal. Even if it’s cloudy, you will get fried. Trust me.
- Earplugs for the kids: The F1 cars are quieter than the old V10s, but the F2 and Porsche Cup cars are still ear-splittingly loud.
- Walk the track on Thursday: If you have the energy, walk the full 5.3km. It’s the only time you can get really close to the kerbs and see just how steep some of the turns are.
The 2025 season is shaping up to be the most chaotic one in a decade. With a new grid, Hamilton in a Ferrari, and Australia back as the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix 2025 schedule is the most important document in racing right now.
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To stay ahead of the crowds, aim to arrive at the Albert Park gates at least 90 minutes before any F1 session starts. This gives you time to clear security, grab a coffee, and find a spot before the pit lane opens and the sound of the engines takes over the park.