How to Watch the F1 Australian Grand Prix: Dates, Times & Schedule for the Season Opener

Everything that you need to know about watching the 2026 Australian Grand Prix and the schedule of the F1 weekend.

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes | Mercedes-Benz Media

The first race of the season is almost here.

In a year where regulation changes have made the grid much harder to predict (and caused some controversy), Mercedes looks like the team to beat, and Aston Martin looks like they are stuck at the opposite end.

Albert Park will give us the first chapter of what is to come.

Here is all the important information you need to know in order to watch the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, including dates, times, schedules and more.

2025's edition of the Australian Grand Prix saw Lando Norris edge out Max Verstappen, while Oscar Piastri had a memorable spin. | Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix schedule

Dates: March 6-8

The Australian Grand Prix will be held from Friday, March 6th to Sunday, March 8th at Albert Park in Melbourne.

There will be three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday, and then the race itself.

Friday, March 5: Free Practice 1 & Free Practice 2

• Free Practice 1 will be held from 12:30 PM - 13:30 PM Local AEDT (20:30 PM - 21:30 PM EST)

• Free Practice 2 will be held from 16:00 PM - 17:00 PM Local AEDT (00:00 AM - 01:00 AM EST)

Saturday, March 6: Free Practice 3 and Qualifying

• Free Practice 3 will be held from 12:30 - 13:30 PM Local AEDT (20:30 PM - 21:30 PM EST)

• Qualifying will be held from 16:00 PM - 17:00 PM Local AEDT (00:00 AM - 01:00 AM EST)

Sunday, March 7: Australian Grand Prix

• The Australian Grand Prix race start is scheduled for 15:00 PM Local AEST (00:00 AM EDT, remember the clock change!)

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How to watch the Australian Grand Prix

Watch: Apple TV (United States)

With Apple now becoming the exclusive broadcaster of Formula One in the United States, taking the rights over from ESPN, viewers will need to head to the Apple TV+ app to access F1 content, including the practices, qualifying, and full race.

There is currently a seven-day free trial on offer, and viewers can access either the F1 TV feed or the international Sky Sports feed, depending on what they prefer.

You can also use the F1 TV Premium privileges included with the new-look Apple TV subscription to access telemetry and live data at no cost.

New drivers, new teams, and more drama.

The first race of the new F1 season is this Saturday, March 7. Watch the #AusGP live on Apple TV, the new U.S. home of F1. pic.twitter.com/JSMghQXEWA

— Apple TV (@AppleTV) March 2, 2026

Watch: F1 TV (Worldwide)

F1 TV is still the way to go to see the action at Albert Park, if you are not based in the major European countries, and is available throughout most nations in the world, including Canada and Mexico. Check if your country is included here.

F1 TV can be accessed through an app, website, or Smart TV device with a paid subscription. You will also be able to watch content associated with the series, such as archived races, and feeder series Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy and the Porsche Supercup.

Happy viewing!