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 for 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 with four closely-matched teams at the front, combustible new team-mate rivalries and a host of sparky rookies.
Anyone who followed Formula 1 before 2020 is likely to get a dose of nostalgia. 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.
Don’t expect to see much daylight if you’re planning to watch all of the action: Thursday’s first practice session (FP1) gets underway at 1.30am GMT, with the second at 5am. That schedule is repeated on Saturday, with FP3 at 1.30am before the year’s first competitive session: qualifying at 5am.
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
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
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.
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 |
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