F1 Australian Grand Prix 2023: Time, tickets, schedule, supercars, TV stream information

The F1 circus has arrived in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the weekend.

Oscar Piastri of Australia will make his debut at Albert Park this weekend

Max Verstappen claimed pole on Saturday for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, but his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez had a torrid time will start last.

In overcast and cool conditions, Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes was third ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in a tight session that went to the wire.

Last year’s winner Charles Leclerc seventh in the Ferrari, with his teammate Carlos Sainz fifth.

FOLLOW THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX LIVE

It was a huge performance from Mercedes, who have struggled this season, with their speed clearly improving as they again bettered Ferrari.

Lance Stroll in the other Aston Martin will start sixth ahead of Leclerc with Williams’ Alexander Albon a shock eighth.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was ninth with Nico Hulkenberg in a Haas rounding out the top 10.

It is second pole of the year for Verstappen, and the 22nd of his career, after the season-opening race in Bahrain, which he went on to win.

He started from 15th in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago after mechanical problems, but sliced through the field to come second behind Perez.

The 25-year-old knocked out his rivals with a flying lap at the death of one minute 16.732, 0.236 secs ahead of Russell.

“I think the last run was very good, the whole weekend has been tough to get the tyres in the right window,” said Verstappen, who has never won in Australia and will start on pole for the first time at Albert Park.

“Very happy to be on pole, already looking forward to tomorrow. I think we have a good race car but it is tricky on the tyres, so going to be an interesting race for sure.” But Mexico’s Perez -- one point behind Verstappen in the championship standings -- had a horror of a day, struggling with grip and balance.

He left the track four times during the third practice and it didn’t get any better in qualifying when he locked up and careened into the gravel at Turn 3 on his first lap.

He car beached and had to be removed by a crane, with the session red flagged. “It was the same issue again,” the dejected Perez said on the team radio. Russell was ecstatic with Mercedes’ performance, saying “we weren’t expecting that, that’s for sure”.

“What a session for us. The car felt alive, and to be honest I’m disappointed I didn’t get pole as the car felt awesome,” he added.

Verstappen topped Q2 from Alonso and Sainz with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly a casualty.

AlphaTauri pair Nyck De Vries and Yuki Tsunoda also missed out, along with Kevin Magnussen in his Haas and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Verstappen was also fastest in Q1 ahead of Russell and Hamilton. Along with Perez, Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Williams’ Logan Sargeant and rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri all failed to get out of Q1.

AUSTRALIAN FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX

MARCH 31-APRIL 2

ROUND 3

All times AEDT

GATE TIMES

Thursday: open 9.30am; close 7.30pm.

Friday: open 8.30am; close 7.30pm.

Saturday: open 8.30am; close 7.30pm.

Sunday: open 8.30am; close 6pm.

THE SEASON SO FAR

R1 BAHRAIN

1st Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2nd Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3rd Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

20th Oscar Piastri (McLaren, DNF)

R2 SAUDI ARABIA

1st Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

2nd Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3rd Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

15th Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

HOW THE DRIVERS STAND

1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 44

2 Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 43

3 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 30

4 Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 20

5 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 20

6 George Russell (Mercedes) 20

7 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 8

8 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 6

9 Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 4

10 Esteban Ocon (Alpine) 4

11 Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 4

12 Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1

13 Alexander Albon (Williams) 1

14 Yuki Tsunoda (Alphatauri) 0

15 Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) 0

16 Logan Sargeant (Williams) 0

17 Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) 0

18 Nyck De Vries (Alphatauri) 0

19 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 0

20 Lando Norris (McLaren) 0

RECENT WINNERS

2022 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2021 No race (Covid)

2020 No race (Covid)

2019 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

2018 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

2017 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

HOW TO WATCH

All live Formula One coverage in Australia is on Fox Sports, available via Foxtel and Kayo, with every practice, qualifying and race live and ad-free during racing.

Live HD streaming is on Kayo Sports, available with a seven-day free trial for new customers.

This includes the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, which will have every session of racing across the weekend shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports, as well as a Grand Prix Sunday special starting from 1.30pm.

HOW TO GET TO THE TRACK

Public transport is the easiest way to travel to the circuit, with free tram services for

ticketholders on event days running from Southern Cross Station for Gates 1, 2 and 3, and

from Flinders Street Station for Gates 5, 8 and 9. Both stations will have Yarra Trams

ambassadors on site to help fans find their way to the event.

Throughout the weekend, trams will run every 1-2 minutes during peak times.

An express bus service will also depart from Whiteman Street at Crown Casino to Gates 1, 2

and 3.

WEATHER

Currently a dry looking race unfortunately. Few clouds and a balmy 21 degrees so nothing like the roaster of a race day we had in 2022. It’s a similar story for qualifying but there will be showers for the opening Supercars race on Thursday and the early free practice sessions.

Originally published as F1 Australian Grand Prix 2023: Time, tickets, schedule, supercars, TV stream information