Trackside – 2019 Australian Grand Prix

Get the most out of your trackside experience at Albert Park for the Australian Grand Prix. The next race is on March 14-17, 2019.

This guide will be updated for 2019 around 2-4 weeks before the race. In the meantime, we’ve left 2018 information below, much of which will not change.

Eight gates provide access to the track for fans throughout the weekend. All gates are free to enter for all ticket holders with the exception of Gate 1, where you need a grandstand ticket to enter. Confusingly, gates are numbered 1 to 5 and 8 to 10 (there are no gates 6 and 7) – see map below. Most gates are located close to public transport and the majority of trams heading to the circuit on race weekend are free.

You are not allowed to bring alcohol into the circuit. Glass bottles and containers are also prohibited and your bag will be searched. Non-alcoholic drinks in plastic bottles can only be brought into the circuit if they are unopened. General Admission ticket holders are also allowed to bring folding chairs and stools into the circuit. Don’t be in a hurry to leave the circuit at the end of each day, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, as there can be big queues to leave via popular gates, as well as heavily congested public transport. Read Getting There & Around for more information on how to get to the circuit.

Thursday, March 22

• 10:00-20:00 Gates open
• 10:30-10:55: Ferrari Challenge practice 1
• 11:00-11:40: Formula SAE demo & guest laps
• 11:50-12:10: Australian GT qualifying 1
• 12:20-12:40: Porsche Carrera Cup practice
• 12:50-13:20: Supercars practice 1
• 13:30-13:55: Ferrari Challenge practice 2
• 14:05-14:20: Ultimate Speed Comparison practice
• 14:25-14:40: Air Display TBC
• 14:40-15:10: Supercars practice 2
• 15:20-15:40: Australian GT qualifying pt 2
• 15:50-16:10: Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying
• 16:20-16:50: Supercars qualifying 1 & 2
• 17:00-17:25: Ferrari Challenge practice 3
• 17:35-17:50: Ultimate Speed Comparison #1
• 18:00-18:25: Australian GT race 1 (11 laps)
• 18:40-19:05: Porsche Carrera Cup race 1 (10 laps)

Friday, March 23

• 09:00-20:00: Gates open
• 09:25-10:00: Ferrari Challenge qualifying 1 & 2
• 10:15-10:30: Track Activity TBA
• 10:45-11:10: Australian GT race 2 (10 laps)
• 11:30-11:45: Air Display TBA
• 12:00-13:30: Formula 1 Free Practice 1 (FP1)
  
• 13:50-14:20: Supercars qualifying 3 & 4
• 14:30-14:45: Ultimate Speed Comparison #2
• 14:55-15:20: Porsche Carrera Cup race 2 (10 laps)
• 15:30-15:40: Air display TBA
• 16:00-17:30: Formula 1 Free Practice 2 (FP2)
  
• 17:50-18:50: Supercars race 1 (25 laps)

Saturday, March 24

• 10:15-20:00: Gates open
• 10:45-11:10: Ferrari Challenge race 1 (10 laps)
• 11:25-11:50: Ferrari parade
• 12:00-12:25: Australian GT race 3 (11 laps)
• 12:40-13:10: Supercars race 2 (13 laps)
• 13:20-13:35: Air display TBA
• 14:00-15:00: Formula 1 Free Practice 3 (FP3)
  
• 15:20-15:45: Porsche Carrera Cup race 3 (10 laps)
• 16:00-16:20: Ultimate Speed Comparison #3
• 16:30-16:40: Air display TBA
• 17:00-18:00: Formula 1 Qualifying
• 18:20-19:20: Supercars race 3 (25 laps)

Sunday, March 25

• 10:00-20:00: Gates open
• 10:20-10:35: Historic parade
• 10:50-11:15: Ferrari Challenge race 2 (10 laps)
• 11:30-11:45: Ultimate Speed Comparison #4
• 12:00-12:25: Australian GT race 4 (11 laps)
• 12:30-12:45: Promoter Activity
• 12:50-13:00: Mark Webber Porsche Guest Laps
• 13:05-13:30: Porsche Carrera Cup race 4 (10 laps)
• 13:45-14:15: Supercars race 4 (13 laps)
• 14:35: F1 driver’s photograph on starting grid
• 14:40-14:50: F1 driver’s track parade
• 14:45-15:00: Air display TBA
• 15:20-15:30: Air display TBA
• 15:56-15:58: National anthem
• 16:10-18:10: Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix (58 laps or 120 minutes)

There is no on-track Formula 1 action on Thursday. The F1 cars hit the track for the first practice session (FP1) at midday on Friday. Since 2009, the Melbourne event has run on a ‘twilight schedule’ to allow more fans around the world (particularly in Europe) the opportunity to watch the action at a more suitable time. The race also starts 10 minutes later in 2018 at 16:10.

• The main non-F1 draw on track in Australia are the Australian Supercars, a hugely popular local touring car series.  The ‘tin top’ racing is super competitive and many local fans are just as interested in the V8 Supercars as Formula 1. This year, there will be four races over the course of the weekend, plus practice and qualifying sessions. Two longer 25-lap races take place on Friday and Saturday evening and two shorter 13-lap races are held around lunchtime on Saturday and Sunday.
• Also in action will be the one-make Porsche Carrera Cup Australia in which 24 identical 911 GT3 Cup cars will stage four 10-lap races over the weekend o
• After returning in 2016, the Australian GT Championship is back on the support schedule for the 2018 Australian GP. Up to 30 GT3 and GT4 cars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche and MClaren make up the field, which will race four times over the weekend.
• Finally, the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific is also in action at Albert Park this year. A capacity field of 488 Challenge race cars will be in action with 2 races on Saturday and Sunday morning respectively.
• Other highlights of the biggest on-track schedule ever at the Australian Grand Prix include the Ultimate Speed Comparison (several times over the weekend), Ferrari Parade (Saturday morning) and Historic Parade (Sunday morning). As always, the F1 drivers gather for a season-opening photograph and parade around the track on Sunday afternoon before the race.

There are always plenty of activities in Australia to keep you busy when the F1 cars are not on the track. Aside from the support racing categories already mentioned, here is a selection of other trackside action to expect at Albert Park:

• Aerial displays – at various times throughout the weekend, the action is in the air as the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) roulettes do their thing in the skies above the circuit. The RAAF F/A18 jet also makes several very loud passes over the circuit during the weekend.
• Action Zone – in a special infield area, Nitro Circus Live puts on a series of events across the weekend showcasing extreme sports including freestyle motocross, skateboarding, BMX and more.
• Legends Lane / F1 Central – these zones feature a range of food and drink options, merchandising and displays of current and historic cars.
• Autograph Stage – huge crowds gather here on the opening Thursday of the event when the F1 drivers appear to sign autographs. On the following days, fans can get autographs of the V8 drivers, celebrity race drivers and motorsport legends.

Despite being a temporary F1 circuit, the quality of the facilities at Albert Park is very good. There are ample food and drink areas dotted around the circuit, and large numbers of toilets (mostly temporary, but some year-round) so queues are short at most times over the weekend, though race day is busy everywhere. As seems to be common at most F1 venues around the world, food and drink are expensive by international standards and the quality of the food on offer is generally low. Options include hamburgers, fish and chips and pizzas; most meals cost around $10-15 AUD. Alcohol is freely available around the circuit. A can of beer will set you back around $8 while soft drinks are $6. Free drinking water is available at various locations around the track, so keep your empty plastic bottles at the ready.

Been to the Australian Grand Prix? Leave a comment below with your tips!