Supercars Schedule Shifted for 2026 Australian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix support schedule features a significant reshuffle for the Supercars Championship, moving a key race to a prime evening slot and packing seven races across the four-day event. The local touring car category will share the support card with Formula 2, Formula 3, and Porsche Carrera Cup, with its second race of the weekend now set for a Friday night start.

Why it matters:

Schedule changes at a marquee event like the Australian GP directly impact the fan experience and broadcast strategy. Moving a Supercars race to a Friday evening creates a more festival-like atmosphere and could attract larger post-work crowds, while the condensed schedule demands peak performance and strategic flexibility from the teams and drivers across a demanding weekend.

The details:

• The most notable change year-on-year is the shift of Friday's Supercars Race 2 from the afternoon to a 5:30 PM AEDT start time, positioning it as a headline evening event.
• Supercars will contest a total of seven races: four on the Albert Park circuit layout.
• The action begins on Thursday with two practice sessions and back-to-back qualifying sessions to set the grid for the first two races. Race 1 follows at 5:00 PM AEDT.
• Saturday is a marathon day for teams, featuring two qualifying sessions early in the morning to set the grid for Races 3 and 4, followed by Race 3 at 5:30 PM AEDT.
• The Supercars finale, Race 4, is a shorter 14-lap dash scheduled for 10:10 AM AEDT on Sunday, slotting between the Formula 3 and Formula 2 feature races.
• The first three Supercars races are each scheduled for 19 laps.
• The Formula 1 Grand Prix itself maintains its traditional 3:00 PM AEDT Sunday start time for the 58-lap race.

What's next:

The published schedule is marked as correct as of early February but remains subject to change. The revised timetable aims to optimize the on-track spectacle for fans at the circuit and viewers at home, with the Supercars category playing a pivotal role in the event's buildup before the main F1 race on Sunday afternoon. The intense schedule will test the endurance and consistency of the touring car teams throughout the Grand Prix weekend.