2025 Australian Grand Prix start time: how to watch, live stream and F1 schedule
Watch F1 via live stream or on TV: dates and start time for the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, including all sessions, plus F2, F3, Carrera Cup and Supercars support races
Melbourne's Albert Park hosts F1's season-opener in 2025
Quinn Rooney/F1 via Getty Images
How dedicated an F1 fan are you really? Set your alarm clock to watch the start of the 2025 Australian Grand Prix and you’ll find out on Sunday morning: TV coverage in the build-up to the first race of the season starts at 2.30am GMT, with the race underway at 4am (midnight for Eastern Time US viewers). Not everybody will avoid the temptation to hit snooze.
Those that do, however, will be rewarded with the first laps of what looks to be a classic season and an unpredictable race. Oscar Piastri is aiming to be the first Australian winner of his home GP, but Max Verstappen won’t want to let the two McLarens on the front row get away. The Ferraris will be pushing to join the fight from seventh and eighth on the grid — but they’ll need to get past Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda first. And then there’s the raft of rookies further back who’ll want to make up for a dismal qualifying. If that’s not enough, rain is forecast too.
Anyone who followed Formula 1 before 2020 is likely to feel nostalgic at the early morning start; Melbourne opens the season for the first time in six years, reclaiming, for this year at least, a slot that it held almost exclusively for more than two decades.
As ever, UK viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, which is also available through Now TV. Qualifying and race highlights will be free-to-view on Channel 4. US viewers can watch all sessions live on ESPN platforms.
Nobody knows what will happen when the lights go out. Here’s how to watch all of the action, including the Formula 2, Formula 3, Supercars and Porsche Carrera Cup support races
2025 Australian Grand Prix
F1 start times, streaming and TV schedule
All times in GMT for UK TV viewers
Friday 14 March
Session | Session start time | Live TV coverage |
Practice 1 | 1.30am | 1am, Sky Sports |
Practice 2 | 5am | 4.45am, Sky Sports |
Saturday 15 March
Session | Session start time | Live TV coverage | Highlights |
Practice 3 | 1.30am | 1.15am, Sky Sports | |
Qualifying | 5am | 4am, Sky Sports | 10.30am, Channel 4 |
Sunday 16 March
Session | Race start time | Live TV coverage | Highlights |
Australian Grand Prix | 4am | 2.30am, Sky Sports | 1pm, Channel 4 |
Max Verstappen led at the start of last year’s race. The field looks closer for 2025
Grand Prix Photo
How to watch F1
Streaming and TV broadcast details
F1 sprint races will return in 2025, but the Australian Grand Prix retains the standard race weekend format of three practice sessions, qualifying and a 58 lap grand prix.
Live TV
All on-track sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 starting 1t 1am ahead of Free Practice 1 on Friday. As in previous seasons, subscribers can download the Sky Sports App and simultaneously stream onboard footage from any driver of their choice. There’s also the option of a ‘Battle Channel’, showing the most exciting fights for position, as well as various race control streams, including multi-screen views and timing.
Live stream
Sky Sports F1 subscribers in the UK can watch all the running live on the Sky Go app. Now TV subscribers can also see live coverage of every session via Sky Sports F1, as well as the choice of 20 onboard views. Live timings are available through the F1 app.
Highlights
Channel 4 will show highlights of the weekend, with action from Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s Grand Prix available to watch later on the respective days of each event.
2025 Australian Grand Prix weekend schedule
F1, F2, F3, Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercars
All times in GMT
Supercars return to the support package in 2025
Dave Hewison/Speed Media via Getty Images
Thursday 13 March
Session | Time |
Porsche Carrera Cup practice | Wed, 11.10pm |
Supercars Championship practice 1 | 12.05am |
Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying | 1.30am |
Supercars Championship practice 2 | 2.25am |
Supercars Championship qualifying pts 1&2 | 4.25am |
Porsche Carrera Cup race 1 | 5.50am |
Supercars Championship race 1 | 6.45am |
Friday 14 March
Session | Time |
Formula 3 practice | Thu, 9.50pm |
Formula 2 practice | Thu, 11pm |
Formula 1 practice 1 | 1.30am |
Formula 3 qualifying | 3am |
Supercars Championship race 2 | 3.45am |
Formula 1 practice 2 | 5am |
Formula 2 qualifying | 6.30am |
Porsche Carrera Cup race 2 | 7.25am |
Dramatic start to F2 sprint race last year
Mike Owen/F1 via Getty Images
Saturday 15 March
Session | Time |
Supercars Championship qualifying pts 3&4 | Fri, 10.05pm |
Formula 3 sprint race | 12.15am |
Formula 1 practice 3 | 1.30am |
Formula 2 sprint race | 3.15am |
Formula 1 qualifying | 5am |
Supercars Championship race 3 | 6.35am |
Porsche Carrera Cup race 3 | 7.35am |
Sunday 16 March
Session | Time |
Formula 3 feature race | Sat, 10pm |
Supercars Championship race 4 | Sat, 11.20pm |
Formula 2 feature race | 12.30am |
Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix | 4am |