Formula 1 releases 2026 calendar revealing Melbourne to start the season

Formula 1 and the FIA have released the calendar for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship with the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix held in Melbourne locked in as the season opener for the 2026 calendar held from 5th to 8th March.

Formula 1 has advised drivers and teams are set to embark on another 24-round campaign as new technical regulations and 100% advanced sustainable fuels come into play.

The Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix was a record-breaking 2025 event that saw a total estimated attendance of more than 465,000 fans across four days – smashing previous records. The 2025 race day crowd reached more than 130,000 with huge attendances across every day of the event.

Having the season opener in Melbourne is a major win for Victoria – ensuring global attention and delivering a boost to local businesses.

With the event secured in Melbourne until 2037, the Grand Prix continues to be a significant economic driver – filling hotels, restaurants and bars across the state, while backing local jobs and businesses.

The 2025 event once again showed the immense draw of the Grand Prix, with hotel occupancy across Melbourne reaching 94% on the Saturday night – up 15% on the previous year.

Formula 1 will conclude with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 4th to 6th December 4-6 with the F1 community visiting five of the world’s seven continents over the course of the year.

In 2026, Ramadan will take place throughout February and March, meaning the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will again be held in April.

The calendar sees further improvements to the geographical flow of races, including the Canadian Grand Prix now following Miami in an earlier slot from 22nd-24th May, delivering significant freight efficiencies as some equipment can move directly from one event to the other.

This change creates a consolidated European leg of the season across the summer months, beginning in Monaco from 5th-7th June and finishing in Spain, where Madrid will make its F1 calendar debut from 11th to 13th September.

The championship then returns to Asia with the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, ahead of a triple header in the Americas, before Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi close out the season.

Image. 2025 Australian Grand Prix Credit: F1 Australian Grand Prix FB