Australian Grand Prix 2024: complete guide to cover you for the weekend

With Australia’s Grand Prix taking place this weekend here is a complete guide to prepare you for the annual event, including teams, drivers, schedule, circuit, results and more.

F1 Melbourne Grand Prix 2023. GP. Albert Park. Sunday. Daniel Ricciardo interacts with fans along the Melbourne Walk. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Australia will have two drivers on the grid for the first time in more than 10 years when Formula 1 returns to Albert Park this week.

Fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo is back after missing last year’s race during his six-month sabbatical to join McLaren young gun Oscar Piastri, who will line up on the Albert Park grid for the second time.

Piastri, 22, arrives in Melbourne for his home race off the back of a fourth-placed finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and sits fifth in the F1 driver standings.

It has been the status quo for Red Bull and its world champion Max Verstappen on the track after the Dutch star won the opening two races of the season.

It has been a different story off the track. The team has been engulfed in drama following the scandal involving team principal Christian Horner.

Verstappen, who won last year’s Australian Grand Prix, remains the clear benchmark for the field to chase at Albert Park and the rest of this year’s championship.

Fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo is back on the grid at Melbourne. Picture: AFP

THE 2024 GRID

RED BULL

Sergio Perez

Max Verstappen

MERCEDES

Lewis Hamilton

George Russell

FERRARI

Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz *

*Oliver Bearman is on standby should Sainz not be fit to race at Albert Park following surgery for appendicitis.

MCLAREN

Lando Norris

Oscar Piastri

ASTON MARTIN

Fernando Alonso

Lance Stroll

ALPINE

Pierre Gasly

Esteban Ocon

WILLIAMS

Alex Albon

Logan Sargeant

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Daniel Ricciardo

Yuki Tsunoda

SAUBER

Valtteri Bottas

Zhou Guanyu

HAAS

Nico Hulkenberg

Kevin Magnussen

THE 2024 STORY SO FAR

BAHRAIN

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

13. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)

SAUDI ARABIA

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

16. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)

Can Australia’s rising star Oscar Piastri get a podium finish at his home GP? Picture: Getty Images

TRACK SCHEDULE

THURSDAY MARCH 21

10:00 Venue gates open

10:00-12.30pm Melbourne Walk

10:am-10.45am Welcome to Country - Little Long Walk

10:30-11:00 Porsche Carrera Cup first practice session

11:25-11:55 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint first practice session

12:00-12:20 Ford Supervan

12-12.30pm Hall of Fame Ceremony

12:30-13:00 Porsche Carrera Cup qualifying session

13:25-13:55 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint second practice session

15:10-15:25 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint qualifying session (for race 1 grid)

15:35-15:50 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint qualifying session (for race 2 grid)

16:15-16:35 Ford Supervan

16:45-17:20 Porsche Carrera Cup first race (13 laps or 30 minutes)

17:35-17:50 RAAF air display

17:50-18:35 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint first race (20 laps or 40 minutes)

19:30 Venue gates close

FRIDAY MARCH 22

8:30am Venue gates open

8.30-11am Melbourne Walk

8:50-9:35 FIA Formula 3 practice session

10:00-10:45 FIA Formula 2 practice session

12:30-13:30 FORMULA 1 FIRST PRACTICE SESSION

14:00-14:30 FIA Formula 3 qualifying session

14:35-14:50 RAAF air display

14:55-15:35 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint second race (20 laps or 40 minutes)

16:00-17:00 FORMULA 1 SECOND PRACTICE SESSION

17:30-18:00 FIA Formula 2 qualifying session

18:30-19:00 Porsche Carrera Cup second race (13 laps or 30 minutes)

19:30 Venue gates close

The Supercars will be an event to look out for. Picture: Getty Images

SATURDAY MARCH 23

8:30 Venue gates open

9:00-9:15 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint qualifying session (for race 3 grid)

9:25-9:40 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint qualifying session (for race 4 grid)

11:20-12:00 FIA Formula 3 sprint race (20 laps or 40 minutes + one lap + podium)

12:30-13:30 FORMULA 1 THIRD PRACTICE SESSION

13:40-14:00 Racing Past – Bruce McLaren & The Tasman Era

14:20-15:05 FIA Formula 2 sprint race (23 laps or 45 minutes + one lap + podium)

15:15-15:30 Doohan demonstration

15:40-15:55 RAAF air display

16:00-17:00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION

17:25-17:35 Red Bull air display

17:40-18:10 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint third race (14 laps or 30 minutes)

18:30-19:00 Porsche Carrera Cup third race (13 laps or 30 minutes)

19:30 Venue gates close

SUNDAY MARCH 24

8:30 Venue gates open

9:10-09:55 FIA Formula 3 feature race (23 laps or 45 minutes + one lap)

10:00-10:15 Red Bull air display

10:25-10:55 Supercars Melbourne SuperSprint fourth race (14 laps or 30 minutes)

11:00-11:15 RAAF air display

11:40-12:40 FIA Formula 2 feature race (33 laps or 60 minutes + one Lap)

13:00-13:30 Formula 1 drivers’ parade

13:35-13:50 Doohan demonstration

14:46-14:48 National anthem

15:00-17:00 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix (58 laps or 120 minutes)

18:30 Venue gates close

THE CIRCUIT

Albert Park

Length – 5.278km

Laps – 58

Lap record – 1:20.235 (Sergio Perez, 2023)

Corners – 14

The weather at Albert Park is looking perfect for the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

LAST YEAR’S AUSTRALIAN F1 GRAND PRIX 

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

4. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

Will Red Bull’s Max Verstappen go back-to-back in Melbourne? Picture: AFP

FORMULA 1 DRIVER STANDINGS

DRIVER /NATIONALITY/TEAM/POINTS

1. Max Verstappen NED Red Bull 51

2. Sergio Perez MEX Red Bull 36

3. Charles Leclerc MON Ferrari 28

4. George Russell GBR Mercedes 18

5. Oscar Piastri AUS McLaren 16

6. Carlos Sainz ESP Ferrari 15

7. Fernando Alonso ESP Aston Martin 12

8. Lando Norris GBR McLaren 12

9. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes 8

10. Oliver Bearman GBR Ferrari 6

11. Nico Hulkenberg GER Haas 1

12. Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin 1

13. Alexander Albon THA Williams 0

14. Zhou Guanyu CHN Sauber 0

15. Kevin Magnussen DEN Haas 0

16. Daniel Ricciardo AUS RB 0

17. Esteban Ocon FRA Alpine 0

18. Yuki Tsunoda JPN RB 0

19. Logan Sargeant USA Williams 0

20. Valtteri Bottas FIN Sauber 0

21. Pierre Gasly FRA Alpine 0

HOW TO WATCH

Every practice, qualifying session and race of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend is live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel

Originally published as Australian Grand Prix 2024: complete guide to cover you for the weekend