Australian F1 Grand Prix loses season
Melbourne will no longer host the season-opening race for the 2027 Formula 1 season, with Bahrain taking the lead spot. The Australian Grand Prix will instead be the third race of the season and will feature the introduction of a sprint race weekend.
Why it matters
Changes to the F1 calendar and the expansion of sprint races reflect the sport's ongoing efforts to maximize global viewership and commercial engagement.
Melbourne will not open the 2027 Formula 1 season. ( Getty Images: Quinn Rooney )
Melbourne will be the third stop on the Formula 1 calendar, with Bahrain hosting the season-opening race.
A sprint race will be a feature of the Australian Grand Prix next year.
The main race in Melbourne will be held on April 4.
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Melbourne's Australian Grand Prix will not have the privilege of opening the 2027 Formula 1 season, but it will boast two races in its biggest weekend yet.
After landing the chance to open the F1 year in 2026 as it once traditionally did for two decades, the Albert Park event will be the third stop on next season's record-equalling 24-race program.
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