Melbourne F1 Grand Prix time change to avoid sun glare

A major change is coming to the start time of the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix as part of a bid to protect drivers’ safety.

F1 Grand Prix stars will start their engines an hour earlier at Albert Park this year. Picture: Getty Images

The start time of Melbourne Grand Prix qualifying will be brought forward in a bid to protect the safety of Formula One drivers as organisers set their sights on record crowds.

F1 stars – including Melbourne’s Oscar Piastri who will debut at Albert Park in March – will start their engines an hour earlier.

The Herald Sun can reveal the popular qualifying session to decide start position on the grid is likely to run from 4-5pm instead of the traditional 5-6pm timeslot.

The time change, yet to be formally ratified, will stop glare issues with fading sunlight shining in driver’s eyes.

Outgoing Australian Grand Prix chief executive Andrew Westacott confirmed the sport’s governing body the FIA had requested the move.

“The reason is because there has been some glare issues during qualifying,’’ he said.

“And so feedback via the FIA was that they wanted to make it earlier. We are finalising that at the moment but it’s likely to be earlier just to make sure there is ideal lighting from the sun as opposed to it being too low in the western sky.’’

It comes as Grand Prix organisers are aiming to set a new four-day crowd record of 450,000 across the March 31-April 2 drawcard. It would surpass the estimated attendance of 419,000 last year.

The start time of the Australian Grand Prix on April 2 will stay in its usual 3pm slot, clashing with Melbourne’s AFL match against Sydney at the MCG.

The race was moved to a 5pm start in 2009 in a bid to boost foreign TV figures.