The weather this weekend is meant to be miserable, but things are about to get hot in Albert Park.
Held at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, fans can enjoy four action-packed days starting from today.
Red Bull racing has been dominant so far in 2023, with Max Verstappen winning the first race of the year ahead of team mate Sergio Perez in Bahrain, and the pair reversing that order two weeks ago in Saudi Arabia.
Red Bull hasn’t stood on the top step of the podium in Melbourne since 2011. Last year, Charles Leclerc won the race for Ferrari. The Prancing Horse has won three of the last four Australian GPs.
Daniel Riccardo fans won’t see him on the track this year but can offer their support to fellow Aussie, Oscar Piastri, who replaced him at McLaren.
Changes to the track layout for 2022 will carry over to 2023, designed to deliver faster racing and more overtaking.
New for this year in the race, having only featured in two practice sessions last year, will be a fourth DRS zone.
Albert Park is the only track on the F1 calendar to have more than three DRS activation zones, in a bid to make it easier for drivers to overtake around the fast, flowing Albert Park circuit.
If you’re not all over the F1 lingo, a DRS zone allows drivers to take advantage of the drag reduction system when they’re within a second of the car in front.
When activated it opens a rear wing flap and assists drivers in overtaking by reducing drag to increase the car’s top speed.
Drivers will reach speeds of 340km/h across the 5.3km circuit, with this year is set to be “the fastest race in Melbourne ever” according to Australian Grand Prix CEO Andrew Westacott.
This year’s Australian Grand Prix events start on March 30 and wrap up on April 2, with the big race at 3pm on Sunday.
The four day schedule is as follows:
Thursday March 30
- 9:30am – Gates Open
- 10:30am-11:00am – Porsche Carrera Cup Practice 1
- 11:25am-11:55am – Supercars Practice 1
- 12:30pm-1:00pm – Porsche Carrera Cup Qualifying
- 1:15pm-1:45pm – Supercars Practice 2
- 1:55pm-2:25pm – Shannons Historic Demonstration
- 2:45pm-3:00pm – Supercars Qualifying (Race 1)
- 3:10pm-3:25pm – Supercars Qualifying (Race 2)
- 4:10pm-4:35pm – Ford Demonstration Laps
- 4:45pm-5:25pm – Porsche Carrera Cup First Race
- 5:40pm-6:30pm – Supercars First Race
Friday March 31
- 8:30am – Gates Open
- 8:50am-9:35am – Formula 3 Practice
- 10:00am-10:45am – Formula 2 Practice
- 11:40am-12:00pm – Shannons Historic Demonstration
- 12:30pm-1:30pm – Formula 1 Practice
- 2:00pm-2:30pm – Formula 3 Qualifying
- 2:50pm-3:30pm – Supercars Race 2
- 4:00pm-5:00pm – Formula 1 Practice 2
- 5:30pm-6:00pm – Formula 2 Qualifying
- 6:25pm-7:00pm – Porsche Carrera Cup Race 2
- 7:30pm – Gates Close
- 9:00pm – After Dark Gates Close (1 and 8)
Saturday April 1
- 8:30am – Gates Open
- 9:05am-9:20am – Supercars Qualifying (Race 3)
- 9:30am-9:45am – Supercars Qualifying (Race 4)
- 10:45am-11:30am – Formula 3 Sprint Race
- 12:30pm-1:30pm – Formula 1 Practice 3
- 1:40pm-2:00pm – Shannons Historic Demonstration
- 2:20pm-3:10pm – Formula 2 Sprint Race
- 4:00pm-5:00pm – Formula 1 Qualifying
- 5:25pm-6:00pm – Supercars Race 3
- 6:25pm-7:00pm – Porsche Carrera Cup Race 3
- 7:30pm – Gates Close
- 9:00pm – After Dark Gates Close (1 & 8)
Sunday April 2
- 8:30am – Gates Open
- 9:05am-9:55am – Formula 3 Feature Race
- 10:20am-10:55am – Supercars Race 4
- 11:35am-12:40pm – Formula 2 Feature Race
- 1:00pm-1:30pm – Formula 1 Drivers Parade
- 3:00pm – Formula 1 Race
- 6:00pm – Gates Close
- 8:30pm – After Dark Gate Closes (1 & 8)
Driver line-up for 2023
Most fans will already know the line-up for the Formula 1 drivers for the 2023 season but here is a recap of drivers starting in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
- Red Bull
- Max Verstappen
- Sergio Perez
- Ferrari
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Mercedes
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Apline
- Esteban Ocon
- Pierre Gasly
- McLaren
- Oscar Piastri
- Lando Norris
- Alfa Romeo
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Aston Martin
- Lance Stroll
- Fernando Alonso
- Haas
- Kevin Magnussen
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Alpha Turi
- Nyck De Vries
- Yuki Tsunoda
- Williams
- Alex Albon
- Logan Sargeant
