2026 Australian Grand Prix Breaks Melbourne Attendance Record

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix occurred in entrance of a crowd of over 483,000 – the most important quantity in Albert Park’s historical past on the F1 calendar.

The season-opening 2026 Australian Grand Prix had a weekend crowd of 483,934, setting a brand new file for Melbourne’s best-attended Method 1 weekend in its historical past on the calendar. It ranks because the third best-attended weekend on file within the sport’s historical past.

The race, the primary underneath the game’s new-for-2026 laws, was received by George Russell who led residence Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli within the workforce’s first 1-2 consequence on the Australian Grand Prix since 2019.

There was heartbreak for the Melbourne crowd, as native hero Oscar Piastri – an enormous consider elevated attendances on the occasion in recent times – crashed out on his technique to the grid. Because of Piastri’s crash, this was the primary Australian Grand Prix wherein no Australian drivers took the beginning since 2001. For the primary time, Piastri was honoured with a grandstand named in his honour in 2026. The stand, situated on the primary straight, offered out very quickly when tickets went on sale final August.

This yr marked the thirtieth anniversary of the primary F1 occasion in Melbourne. Albert Park grew to become host of the Australian Grand Prix in 1996, taking the occasion from Adelaide. The final race in Adelaide, in 1995, stays the best-attended F1 weekend of all time, with a complete crowd of 520,000.

12 months-On-12 months Attendance Will increase by 20,000

With elevated capability this yr, weekend attendance on the 2026 Australian Grand Prix elevated by virtually 20,000 in comparison with twelve months in the past. The 2025 attendance determine was 465,498.

Report numbers attended on each Thursday and Friday. Attendance rose by over 14,000 on Thursday, which featured on-track motion solely from F1’s assist classes, together with Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercars. With over 134,000 at Albert Park on Saturday, it was the second best-attended qualifying day within the circuit’s historical past.

Every day Attendances on the 2026 Australian Grand Prix

Thursday – 86,210

Friday – 125,725

Saturday – 134,130

Sunday – 136,935

Race day on the 2026 Australian Grand Prix had a Sunday attendance of near 137,000. It was not fairly a sell-out, with Australian Grand Prix CEO Tom Mottram noting earlier than the weekend that capability on the venue was elevated to 141,000.

Fan entry at Albert Park was improved forward of the 2026 race weekend, because of the opening of the brand new Anzac Station, which opened in November 2025. Inside the circuit, the primary overpass over the primary straight was tripled in capability, with followers noting much less congestion within the space at peak occasions when in comparison with earlier years.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix More likely to be Cancelled

Method 1’s upcoming races within the Center East look more and more unlikely to happen. The Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for April 12, and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, set to happen on April 19, are each set to be cancelled because of the continuing Iran warfare.

The battle already led to a Pirelli tyre take a look at at Bahrain Worldwide Circuit earlier this month being cancelled, whereas the World Endurance Championship’s race in Qatar – which was set to happen on the final weekend in March – has additionally been referred to as off.

If the Method 1 races don’t happen, it signifies that there will probably be a full month with out racing between the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on Could 3. With solely a month till the races have been attributable to happen and a congested latter half of the season, it’s not anticipated that the 2 Center East races will probably be changed or rescheduled on the calendar, chopping the variety of Grands Prix in 2026 to 22.

Official affirmation in regards to the standing of the 2 races is predicted within the coming weeks.