A new season of Formula 1 begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as the anticipation continues to build ahead of what could be a year to remember.
The closeness of the field in the second half of last year and no team seemingly having a clear advantage in pre-season testing has got everyone excited for the first race of the year at Albert Park on March 14-16.
If there is a favourite for Melbourne, most people think it is Lando Norris after McLaren impressed in F1 testing, but team-mate Oscar Piastri will be looking to win on home soil.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen could be on the backfoot, but you can never rule him out of contention, and it will be fascinating to see how his new team-mate Liam Lawson fares.
Lewis Hamilton is hoping for a positive start to life at Ferrari after, arguably, the biggest driver change in F1 history, but there are so many other storylines up and down the grid heading into the Australian Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri will get the support of the home crowd in Melbourne
Albert Park Circuit
Formula 1 first raced at Albert Park in 1996 and the Australian Grand Prix has stayed there ever since. Aside from the cancelled events in 2020 and 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Melbourne has always featured on the F1 calendar.
Australia has not held the season-opener since 2019 but will host at least five opening races of the year from this season until its contract at Albert Park ends in 2035.
Track changes ahead of the 2022 event saw the circuit become faster to increase overtaking, with some corners removed or changed. There are four DRS zones and the best places to overtake are at Turns 3 and 11.
Sky Sports F1’s Naomi Schiff and Craig Slater give their predictions for the 2025 season
Australian Grand Prix weather in Melbourne
The long-range weather forecast for Melbourne suggests showers could affect Qualifying on the Saturday and the Australian Grand Prix on the Sunday.
It will be a hot race weekend with air temperatures in the high 20s, so tyre degradation could be severe.
How to watch the Australian Grand Prix in the UK and Ireland
TV: Sky Customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from the first practice session on Friday morning to the Australian Grand Prix itself on Sunday, March 16 at 4am
App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app
Stream: Non Sky Customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass
Online: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through our dedicated F1 blog
Highlights: Watch free F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag
How to watch the Australian GP with the Sky Sports app
Sky Sports Subscribers can:
- Download or open the Sky Sports app
- Head to the ‘Watch’ section at 2.30am for build-up, ahead of lights out at 4am
- Tap on the Sky Sports F1 or Sky Sports Main Event channel
- Sign in with your Sky iD (*you’ll only need to do this once)
*Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD
Craig Slater and Ted Kravitz give their predictions as to which team will be quickest this season and who will be slowest after testing in Bahrain
Sky Sports F1’s live Australian GP schedule
Thursday March 13
- 2.30am: Drivers’ Press Conference
- 5am: The F1 Show: Lights Out 2025*
- 9.45pm: F3 Practice
- 10.55pm: F2 Practice
Friday March 14
- 1am: Australian GP Practice One (session begins at 1.30am)*
- 2.55am: F3 Qualifying*
- 3.40am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
- 4.45am: Australian GP Practice Two (session begins at 5am)*
- 6.25am: F2 Qualifying*
- 7.15am: The F1 Show*
Saturday March 15
- 00.10am: F3 Sprint*
- 1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session begins at 1.30am)*
- 3.10am: F2 Sprint*
- 4.15am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*
- 5am: AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
- 7am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
- 9.55pm: F3 Feature Race*
Sunday March 16
- 0.25am: F2 Feature Race*
- 2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
- 6am: Australian GP reaction: Chequered Flag*
- 7am: Ted’s Notebook*
- 7.55am: Australian GP race replay
- 10am: Australian GP highlights
- Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Untold Tragedy
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
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Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
