First test bed for F1 2026
The wait is over. The 2026 F1 World Championship is upon us and finally a Melbourne in the Australian GP we will see the teams playing cards open after a Shakedown in Barcelona and two test sessions in Bahrain.
There Ferrari it was the fastest in Sakhir with Charles Leclerc and there is great curiosity to discover how competitive the SF-26 will actually be, which in tests showed off various innovative solutions such as the ‘Macarena’ rear wing to maximize active aerodynamics (and there are five areas in Melbourne in which the wings will assume the ‘straight’ position to reduce drag).
There Mercedes will have to prove that it is actually the big favorite in 2026, but obviously pay attention to McLaren and a Red Bull which as a true outsider could surprise given that it can always count on the best driver on the starting grid, Max Verstappen.
The event will be broadcast live in full on Sky Sports F1up TV8 Qualifying and the Grand Prix will be broadcast live and deferred. On FormulaPassion.it you will find live coverage of all the sessions that will see F1 on the track. Below are all the details of the programming, the characteristics of the circuit and the roll of honor of the Australian Grand Prix. On the track together with F1 there will also be F2 and F3.
Australian GP 2026: TV schedule and session times
Friday 6 March
10.50pm F3 Free Practice (Sky Sport F1)
00:00 F2 Free Practice (Sky Sport F1)
02.30 Free Practice 1 F1 (Sky Sport F1, live written on FormulaPassion.it)
04.00 F3 Qualifying (Sky Sport F1)
04.55 F2 Qualifying (Sky Sport F1)
06:00 Free Practice 2 F1 (Sky Sport F1, live written on FormulaPassion.it)
Saturday 7 March
01.15 Sprint F3 race (Sky Sport F1)
02.30 Free Practice 3 F1 (Sky Sport F1, live written on FormulaPassion.it)
04.10 Sprint F2 race (Sky Sport F1)
06:00 F1 Qualifying (Sky Sport F1, live written on FormulaPassion.itdelayed on TV8 at 2.00 pm)
Sunday 8 March
10.50pm Feature Race F3 (Sky Sport F1)
01.25 Feature Race F2 (Sky Sport F1)
05:00 F1 Race (Sky Sport F1, live written on FormulaPassion.itdelayed on TV8 at 2.00 pm)
The characteristics of the Melbourne circuit
Length: 5,303 km
Curves: 14 (9 on the right and 5 on the left)
Race distance: 58 laps (306,124 km)
Roll of Honor Australian Grand Prix
