A brand new era of Formula 1 begins this weekend with the traditional season-opener – the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Lando Norris is riding high, having claimed his first F1 world championship last season, pipping four-time champion Max Verstappen by two points in a tense season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Yet with new engine and chassis regulations, and a new team in Cadillac, McLaren are not the frontrunners ahead of the new campaign. Instead, Mercedes’s engine prowess puts them top of the list, with British driver George Russell the favourite with the bookies.
And what about Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton? The seven-time world champion endured a terrible debut year at the Scuderia, failing even to register a podium. However, the 41-year-old and teammate Charles Leclerc looked strong in pre-season testing and are right in contention this weekend.
Here’s everything you need to know about the season-opener.
What is the starting grid?
Top-10: TBC
11) Nico Hulkenberg
12) Ollie Bearman
13) Esteban Ocon
14) Pierre Gasly
15) Alex Albon
16) Franco Colapinto
17) Fernando Alonso
18) Sergio Perez
19) Valtteri Bottas
20) Max Verstappen
21) Carlos Sainz
22) Lance Stroll
When is the Australian Grand Prix?
All times GMT
Saturday 7 March
Sunday 8 March
How can I watch it online and on TV?
The Australian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Sky’s coverage of Sunday’s race starts at 2:30am (GMT).
Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action in Melbourne on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the Australian Grand Prix then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help.
What is the driver line-up for 2026?
McLAREN
Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri
FERRARI
Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton
RED BULL
Max Verstappen
Isack Hadjar
MERCEDES
George Russell
Kimi Antonelli
ASTON MARTIN
Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll
ALPINE
Pierre Gasly
Franco Colapinto
HAAS
Esteban Ocon
Ollie Bearman
RACING BULLS
Liam Lawson
Arvid Lindblad
WILLIAMS
Alex Albon
Carlos Sainz
SAUBER
Nico Hulkenberg
Gabriel Bortoleto
CADILLAC (New Team)
Sergio Perez
Valtteri Bottas
NOTE: italics represent new seat
What is the 2026 race calendar?
ROUND 1 – AUSTRALIA
Albert Park, Melbourne – 6-8 March
ROUND 2 – CHINA (sprint weekend)
Shanghai International Circuit, 13-15 March
ROUND 3 – JAPAN
Suzuka International Racing Course – 27-29 March
ROUND 4 – BAHRAIN
Bahrain International Circuit – 10-12 April
ROUND 5 – SAUDI ARABIA
Jeddah Corniche Circuit – 17-19 April
ROUND 6 – MIAMI (sprint weekend)
Miami International Autodrome, Hard Rock Stadium – 1-3 May
ROUND 7 – CANADA (sprint weekend)
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal – 22-24 May
ROUND 8 – MONACO
Circuit de Monaco – 5-7 June
ROUND 9 – SPAIN (Barcelona)
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – 12-14 June
ROUND 10 – AUSTRIA
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg – 26-28 June
ROUND 11 – GREAT BRITAIN (sprint weekend)
Silverstone Circuit – 3-5 July
ROUND 12 – BELGIUM
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – 17-19 July
ROUND 13 – HUNGARY
Hungaroring, Budapest – 24-26 July
ROUND 14 – NETHERLANDS (sprint weekend)
Circuit Zandvoort – 21-23 August
ROUND 15 – ITALY
Monza Circuit – 4-6 September
ROUND 16 – SPAIN (Madrid)
Circuito de Madring – 11-13 September
ROUND 17 – AZERBAIJAN
Baku City Circuit – 25-27 September
ROUND 18 – SINGAPORE (sprint weekend)
Marina Bay Street Circuit – 9-11 October
ROUND 19 – UNITED STATES
Circuit of the Americas, Austin – 23-25 October
ROUND 20 – MEXICO
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City – 30 October-1 November
ROUND 21 – BRAZIL
Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo – 6-8 November
ROUND 22 – LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit – 19-21 November
ROUND 23 – QATAR
Lusail International Circuit – 27-29 November
ROUND 24 – ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit – 4-6 December
