New regulations, new team, new broadcaster. Welcome to the 2026 Formula 1 season.
It’ll be an all-Mercedes front row for tonight’s Australian Grand Prix — the first round of the 2026 F1 World Championship. George Russell will start from pole, with teammate Kimi Antonelli starting P2. Isack Hadjar, who was promoted to Red Bull Racing this season from the Racing Bulls team, still start P3.
The reigning World Drivers Champion (and most recent Australian GP winner) Lando Norris will start from P5, and, in a major shock, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start in the back of the pack after a big crash out of turn no. 1 in qualifying took him out of the session.
australian grand prix: what to know
- When: March 7, 11 p.m. ET
- Where: Albert Park Circuit (Melbourne, Australia)
- Streaming: Apple TV
The 2026 F1 season begins with new financial, power unit, aerodynamic, geometric, and safety regulations for every car and team — introducing smaller, 30kg lighter cars with active aerodynamics and a 50/50 power split between internal combustion and electric energy.
The grid will also expand to 11 teams and 22 drivers for the first time since 2016 with the introduction of the Cadillac Formula 1 team. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez will return to the grid as full-time drivers with Cadillac. Sauber also underwent changes during the offseason and are now known as the Audi Revolut F1 Team.
The Australian Grand Prix is a 58 lap, 190 mile race on a course that is 3.2 miles long with 14 turns.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in to tonight’s Formula 1 race.
Australian Grand Prix 2026 start time:
The 2026 Australian Grand Prix is scheduled to begin today, March 7, at 11 p.m. ET.
How to watch the Australian Grand Prix for free:
All things F1, including tonight’s Australian GP, will stream exclusively on Apple TV in the United States. Apple TV subscribers will get access to the entire Formula 1 season at no additional cost.
Apple TV comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers and has just one ad-free streaming plan available for $12.99/month.
You can also subscribe to Apple TV via Prime Video for the same $12.99/month price and stream all of its Formula 1 coverage.
What to know about F1 on Apple TV
Apple TV’s Formula 1 coverage spans every moment of race weekend, from the free practices and qualifying to the grand prix race and sprint weekends when those take place. The streamer will present every grand prix in 4K with Dolby Vision and 5.1 surround sound.
Commentary feeds will be available in English and Spanish, with up to 30 additional feeds available, including in-car driver cams and dynamic Podium feeds that follow the drivers running in P1, P2, and P3 throughout the entire race. Additionally, viewers will have the ability to watch the Sky Sports UK feed (which ESPN viewers will be familiar with from seasons past).
Subscribers will also get access to Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 ACADEMY, and Porsche Supercup events on Apple TV.
2026 Australian Grand Prix starting grid
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull Racing)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
- Nico Hülkenberg (Audi)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Sergio Pérez (Cadillac)
- Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
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