Formula 1: Australian Grand Prix to return as season opener in 2025

The Australian Grand Prix will return to its traditional position as the first race of the new season in 2025.

Melbourne, which will host the race weekend from 14-16 March, had held the first race virtually every year since it made its debut in 1996.

But it has not done so since 2019 after the Covid-19 pandemic led to Bahrain taking over.

The timing of the holy month of Ramadan means the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have had to be delayed in 2025.

Melbourne will be followed by races in China and Japan before the two events in the Middle East.

This is the first of four times when Melbourne is contractually guaranteed to host the opening race until 2032.

The 2025 calendar features the same 24 races as this year’s record-breaking season, in a very similar order other than the opening events.

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be on 4-6 July and the season will end in Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December.

F1 chairman and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali, whose responsibility it is to organise the calendar, said: “2025 will be a special year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, and it’s that legacy and experience that allows us to deliver such a strong calendar.

“Once again, we’ll visit 24 incredible venues around the world, delivering top class racing, hospitality, and entertainment, which will be enjoyed by millions of fans worldwide.”