Qualifying for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix is on Saturday, 7 March 2026 , with the session starting at 4:00 pm local time in Melbourne (AEDT) , which is 5:00 am GMT/UK time.

Quick Scoop

Here’s the key info at a glance:

  • Date: Saturday, 7 March 2026
  • Location: Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia
  • Local qualifying time (Melbourne): 16:00–17:00 (4:00–5:00 pm) AEDT
  • UK time: 05:00 (5:00 am) on Saturday
  • Race day: Sunday, 8 March 2026

Session timetable (local vs UK)

Below is a simple HTML table matching your formatting request:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Session</th>
      <th>Day & Date (2026)</th>
      <th>Local time (Melbourne)</th>
      <th>UK time (GMT)</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Free Practice 1</td>
      <td>Friday, 6 March</td>
      <td>12:30–13:30</td>
      <td>01:30–02:30</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Free Practice 2</td>
      <td>Friday, 6 March</td>
      <td>16:00–17:00</td>
      <td>05:00–06:00</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Free Practice 3</td>
      <td>Saturday, 7 March</td>
      <td>12:30–13:30</td>
      <td>01:30–02:30</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td><strong>Qualifying</strong></td>
      <td><strong>Saturday, 7 March</strong></td>
      <td><strong>16:00–17:00</strong></td>
      <td><strong>05:00–06:00</strong></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Race</td>
      <td>Sunday, 8 March</td>
      <td>15:00–16:00</td>
      <td>04:00–05:00</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

(Times from major F1 schedule outlets and team pages, which align on a Saturday afternoon qualifying slot in Melbourne for 2026.)

Mini forum‑style note

Fans are already talking about setting alarms again: a 4 pm lights-out for qualifying in Melbourne means another early morning for UK and European viewers, but a prime-time Saturday session for local crowds at Albert Park.

TL;DR: Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix is on Saturday 7 March 2026 at 4 pm local time in Melbourne (5 am UK).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.