Melbourne Secures New 10-Year Deal to Keep F1 in Australia

• Melbourne’s previous contract was set to expire after 2025 but a new 10-year extension will keep Formula 1 racing there through 2035

• Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix has been held in Albert Park, Melbourne, since 1996.

• The deal shuts down potential threats from rival cities in Australia, most notably Sydney, which was eager to submit a bid.

Formula 1 announced today a 10-year extension to its agreement with organizers of the Australian Grand Prix, securing the event’s future in Melbourne.

Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix has been held in Albert Park, Melbourne, since 1996. It returned to the calendar in April this season following a two-year absence caused by the pandemic and welcomed more than 400,000 fans across the course of the weekend.

Melbourne’s previous contract was set to expire after 2025 but a new 10-year extension has been agreed that will tie down the event until 2035. The deal shuts down potential threats from rival cities in Australia, most notably Sydney, which was eager to submit a bid.

As part of the revised agreement, Formula 1’s support categories Formula 2 and Formula 3 will be part of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. It will be the first time that those championships have raced outside of Europe and the Middle East.

Organizers in Melbourne are also expected to upgrade pits and paddock facilities as part of the long-term deal.

“I am delighted to confirm that Melbourne and the Albert Park circuit will continue to be on the Formula 1 calendar until 2035,” said Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. “The race has always been a favorite for the fans, drivers and the teams and Melbourne is an incredible and vibrant international city that is a perfect match for our sport. This year, we saw huge crowds and passionate fans at the Grand Prix, and we are very excited by the future in Australia as our sport continues to grow.”

Australia has representation on the grid in McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo, while Melbourne native and 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri currently holds the role of Alpine’s reserve driver.

“This is a sensational announcement that is simply great for Melbourne and Victoria,” said Andrew Westacott, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. “It builds on our rich motor sport history as well as Melbourne’s love of big sporting events and provides aspiration to the next generation of Aussie racing stars.

“We’re proud of our strong relationship with Formula 1 and together we will grow the sport in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Everyone at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation looks forward to taking the Formula One Australian Grand Prix to new levels over the course of the next 13 years.”