Oscar Piastri and Zak Brown disagree as Australian Grand Prix point made

McLaren CEO Zak Brown is in disagreement with Oscar Piastri over the Australian Grand Prix because the 2026 F1 season begins this weekend

McLaren CEO Zak Brown admits he would welcome the Australian Grand Prix turning into an evening race – a stance considered one of his drivers, Oscar Piastri, opposes. The thought of altering the Aussie GP begin time has lengthy been mentioned in Components One.

The season-opening race in Melbourne presently begins at 3pm AEDT (4am for UK viewers and 11pm in New York). There has beforehand been stress from stakeholders to shift the race Down Below to night-time so it’s higher suited to TV audiences – notably in Europe and North America.

And Brown has shared, whereas talking through the Each day Mail, that he would welcome an evening race in Australia. The American reckons there will not be sufficient races beneath the lights.

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He mentioned: „It [the grand prix] can be cool beneath lights. I believe it might be cool. I like evening racing.

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„Usually, I do not suppose we have now sufficient evening races and I believe that race specifically [would work] as a result of the climate is all the time good, it is a good looking setting and I believe it might look good beneath lights.“

Brown’s perspective starkly contrasts with Piastri’s. The Aussie, who secured third place within the Drivers‘ Championship final season, prefers his house Grand Prix to stay a daytime race. The 24-year-old mentioned: „I believe it’s good the best way it’s.

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„It’s clearly higher when it’s sunny, however I do not suppose it must be beneath lights.

„We have got numerous races now which are evening races, I believe definitely for us as drivers, typically the environment is definitely higher through the day as a result of you’ll be able to see the followers much more, numerous the grandstands at some evening races may be fairly darkish.

„Even in Melbourne, you see the skyline and every little thing, so I’m pleased with the best way it’s.“

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The motion at Albert Park begins on Friday with apply, adopted by qualifying a day later after which the race itself on Sunday.

McLaren shall be aiming to defend their Constructors‘ title this season, while Lando Norris is focusing on a second consecutive Driver’s Championship title.

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