非盟stralian Grand Prix 2023: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch ad-free

Albert Park is the third stop of F1 2023, as Red Bull look for their first Australian Grand Prix win since 2011.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were the opening two battlegrounds in this new season of Formula 1, and at both nobody had an answer for the reigning Constructors’ champs Red Bull.

But, in Saudi Arabia there was someone who had an answer to Max Verstappen, that being his own team-mate Sergio Perez.

Verstappen took pole and the win in Bahrain, and was clear favourite to take top spot on the grid again at the Saudi Arabian GP, that was until a driveshaft failure eliminated him from qualifying as Perez pounced on that opportunity, following his pole up with a victory on race day, Verstappen unable to reel his team-mate in.

It is two poles, victories and one-two finishes for Red Bull to start the season, but with Verstappen irked by the events of Saudi Arabia, and Perez showing suspicion over Red Bull’s orders there as he and Verstappen lapped out front, could trouble be brewing in paradise for Red Bull? And can Aston Martin, Ferrari or Mercedes eat into that mighty deficit as they go racing at Albert Park?

There is plenty to get excited about then, so here are all the details you need ahead of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix…and you might need to set some alarms.

When is the 2023 Australian Grand Prix?

Friday 31 March

Free practice 1: 1230-1330 local [0230-0330 UK]
当地自由练习2:1600 - 1700(0600 - 0700年英国)

Saturday 1 April

Free practice 3: 1230-1330 local [0230-0330 UK]
Qualifying: 1600 local [0600 UK]

Sunday 2 March
Race: 1500 local [0600 UK]

Where can I watch the 2023 Australian Grand Prix?

Formula 1 is available to watch via different TV broadcasters depending on which country you reside in, and the Australian Grand Prix is available to watch live on the following channels in the following major countries in 2023:

非盟stralia: Fox Sports, Network 10
非盟stria: Sky Sport F1, ORF, Servus TV [live races split between them]
Brazil: TV Bandeirantes, BandSports
Canada: RDS, TSN
China: Great Sport (RTS) [Shanghai only], CCTV, Guangdong Sports [broadcast in Guangdong only]
France: Canal+
Germany: Sky Sport F1
Italy: Sky Sport F1 [delayed coverage on TV8]
Japan: Fuji TV Next
Netherlands: Viaplay Xtra [free-to-air highlights on NOS]
Spain: DAZN F1
United Kingdom and Ireland: Sky Sports F1 [free-to-air highlights on Channel 4]
United States: ESPN, Spanish language broadcast available on ESPN Deportes

For those looking to watch live races online, F1 TV Pro is available in selected countries, which allows you to watch every session live, have access to exclusive live timing, documentaries and live shows – and is available to watch on any of your chosen devices via web, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Roku and Chromecast.

F1 TV Pro* viewers can watch all the live action from all 23 race weekends this season completely ad-free!Click here for the ultimate F1 viewing experience.

*Available in selected territories only.Click hereto see eligible territories.

Where does the 2023 Australian Grand Prix take place?

Albert Park has been the sole host of the Australian Grand Prix since 1996 and had established itself as the traditional season opener of the Formula 1 campaign before losing that coveted spot to Bahrain.

Located just three kilometres south of central Melbourne, for Formula 1’s visit the city is transformed with Albert Park converted into a challenging street circuit.

Albert Park is steeped in Formula 1 history having also hosted non-World Championship races in the early 1950s and, with the track regularly hosting the first race of the season, has been the circuit where the likes of Sir Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have all made their official Formula 1 debuts.

The 5.3km street circuit consists of 16 corners, some of which are named after some of Australia’s iconic Formula 1 drivers such as Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones. Other World Champions such as Alberto Ascari and Alain Prost also feature.

The track was redesigned ahead of the 2022 Australian GP, with seven corners modified and two removed completely, all with the goal of boosting overtaking opportunities and shaving over five seconds off the lap time.

Make sure to check out our full Albert Park track guidehere.

What are the tyre compounds for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix?

More strategy options
↗️高跟踪进化

Our handy guide to the#AustralianGPtyre choices#Fit4F1pic.twitter.com/w8u2YRYtFs

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport)March 27, 2023

It is a case of different venue, same tyres as Pirelli have decided to stick with the compounds that were available in Saudi Arabia for the Australian Grand Prix.

That means the C2 tyre will he the hard, the C3 will be the medium, and the C4 shall serve as the soft compound.

Pirelli’s tyre range runs from C0 to C5, with the rubber becoming softer and grippier, but less durable as the number increases.

Which drivers and teams have won the Australian Grand Prix?

The Australian Grand Prix has been a happy hunting ground for Ferrari over the years, the Scuderia winning 13 times, their most recent victory courtesy of Charles Leclerc in 2022 taking them ahead of McLaren as the event’s most successful team.

Albert Park has often been kind to the Scuderia in providing them with the launchpad for title success, especially at the height of Michael Schumacher’s domination in Ferrari red in the early 2000s. Sadly for the team in 2022, that victory proved to be a false dawn as Red Bull would later establish dominance and rip away the title trophies.

Schumacher is a four-time winner at Albert Park, while his brother, Ralf, provided one of the most dramatic starts ever witnessed in Formula 1 at the iconic street circuit when his Williams BMW went flying high into the air with a further seven cars caught up in the melee.

Lewis Hamilton will go into the 2023 Australian Grand Prix as the grid’s only multi-time winner of the event, those P1s achieved in 2008 and 2015.

The previous 10 winners of the Australian Grand Prix are:

2022: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2019: Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
2018: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
2017: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2014: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2013: Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2012: Jenson Button, McLaren
2011: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

What are the F1 standings ahead of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix?

By virtue of setting the fastest lap of the race in Saudi Arabia, Verstappen ensured that he went into the 2023 Australian Grand Prix as leader of the Drivers’ Championship with a one-point lead over team-mate Perez.

And such is Red Bull’s sheer might at the start of the F1 2023 campaign, they arrive at Albert Park already 49 points ahead of Aston Martin and Mercedes.

Drivers’ Championship

Max Verstappen – 44 points
Sergio Perez – 43
Fernando Alonso – 30
Carlos Sainz – 20
Lewis Hamilton – 20

Constructors’ Championship

Red Bull – 87 points
Aston Martin – 38
Mercedes – 38
Ferrari – 26
Alpine – 8

Clickherefor the full Championship standings.