Reportagens from Australian broadcasters indicate that Bahrein will resume its position as the opening stage of Fórmula 1’s calendar in 2027, ending the prominent role that Melbourne has achieved over the past two years. The change, not yet officially confirmed by F1, would put Arábia Saudita in second place and demote Vitória’s capital for the third stage of the season.
Essa restructuring represents a blow to Australia’s ambitions of maintaining its traditional position as season opener. Austrália’s Grande Prêmio boss Travis Auld had publicly stated last month that he would resist any attempt to move the opening race away from Albert Park.
Histórico of changes to the opening calendar
Melbourne opened the F1 calendar almost uninterruptedly between 1995 and 2019. Apenas in 2006 and 2010 Bahrein broke that sequence by hosting the first race of the season. Nos last five years, however, the position has undergone significant changes.
Entre 2021 and 2024, Bahrein was the official opening stage. Essa interruption occurred for logistical reasons and the need to accommodate the Ramadã dates in the racing calendar.
Melbourne returned as the opening headquarters in 2025 and 2026, briefly restoring its tradition. Contudo, plans for 2027 point to a new change at the top of the calendar.
Fatores logistics and religious in restructuring
Logistics and the Ramadã calendar remain the main determinants in decisions about the sequence of races. In 2027, Ramadã will end in early March, creating a favorable window for Bahrein to host the opening stage.
The target date for Grande Prêmio of Bahrein in 2027 is March 14th. Esse timing coincides perfectly with the official pre-season tests that F1 carries out in the region. Essa synchronization reduces operational costs for teams and optimizes the use of the infrastructure already present in Oriente Médio.
Melbourne, in turn, would be moved to the third stage in early April. Essa’s position would keep Austrália within its contractual obligations with F1, which guarantee Grande Prêmio’s Austrália at least three of the first five races of each season.
Compromissos contracts and future of the Australian GP
- Garantia from at least five season openings between 2025 and 2035
- Possibilidade to regain opening position after 2027
- Obrigação agreed to host one of the first three races of the season
- Calendário from 2027 not yet released by Fórmula 1
The terms of the current agreement between F1 and Austrália provide some security to the Australian Great Prix. Ainda There are opportunities for Melbourne to retake the opening position in years after 2027, within the ten-year contractual period until 2035.
Official confirmation of the 2027 calendar should take place in the coming months, when Fórmula 1 makes public the dates and venues of all stages. For now, the information is based on reports from Australian television channels, including Nine and Sky Australia.
Impacto for F1 operations
The calendar change reflects Fórmula 1’s global strategy of balancing commercial, logistical and religious needs. Oriente Médio represents a key market for the sport, with substantial investments from countries such as Bahrein and Arábia Saudita.
Iniciar The season at Bahrein allows all teams to travel to the region with their cars fully prepared. Pre-season testing takes place in the same environment as the first official race, minimizing the risk of delays or operational problems.
Para Melbourne, despite the reduction in prestige, the change does not mean the loss of Grande Prêmio from Austrália. Albert Park will continue to host one of the first races, maintaining Australia’s importance on the global calendar. The first three stages of any F1 season determine the initial direction of the world championship.