Australian F1 Grand Prix 2016: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More
The Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, will provide the aesthetic backdrop to the first race of the Formula One season, as some of the world’s finest drivers go in search of glory.
Lewis Hamilton is set to be the man to beat again, as the Mercedes star begins his quest for his fourth world title. His in-house rival Nico Rosberg is set to represent the biggest threat to a successful term, although Ferrari pair Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel will also fancy their chances of getting in the hunt.
The Australian Grand Prix is always one of the standout events on the sporting calendar and can set the tone for the rest of the campaign for the drivers involved.
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Here are the men on the grid at the start of the 2016 term, the key viewing details for the race and a closer look at how things are likely to pan out on Sunday.
| Scuderia Ferrari | Sebastian Vettel | Kimi Raikkonen |
| Sahara Force India Formula One Team | Sergio Perez | Nico Hulkenberg |
| Haas F1 Team | Romain Grosjean | Esteban Gutierrez |
| McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team | Fernando Alonso | Jenson Button |
| Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team | Lewis Hamilton | Nico Rosberg |
| Manor Racing MRT | Rio Haryanto | Pascal Wehrlein |
| Red Bull Racing | Daniel Ricciardo | Daniil Kvyat |
| Renault Sport Formula One Team | Kevin Magnussen | Jolyon Palmer |
| Sauber F1 Team | Marcus Ericsson | Felipe Nasr |
| Scuderia Toro Rosso | Max Verstappen | Carlos Sainz Jr. |
| Williams Martini Racing | Felipe Massa | Valtteri Bottas |
Date: Sunday, March 20
Race Start Time: 1 a.m. (ET), 5 a.m. (GMT), 4 p.m. (Local)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
Fireworks Inevitable Between Mercedes Duo
Hamilton had the edge on Rosberg for much of the 2015 campaign and has seemed to do so throughout much of their time together at Mercedes. But there have been some small signs that German may be ready to step out of the shadow of his team-mate.
Rosberg rattled off three wins in a row to finish last season, and while Hamilton had already secured the championship at this point, in testing, the German seemed to have the advantage, too. On the soft tyres, Hamilton seemed a little more unsure than his team-mate, and it’s going to be fascinating to see if that remains the case at Albert Park.
The early signs weren’t particularly encouraging for Rosberg, though, as he crashed in the opening practice session. As Formula One journalist James Allen noted, that’s not news that is likely to disappoint the champion:
There seems to be a better chance of a challenge coming from other members of the paddock too this term, with Ferrari looking like they have closed some ground in pre-season.
In Vettel and Raikkonen, the Italian outfit have two superb drivers to call upon, and on race days last season they were competitive. However, it’s vital they make improvements on Saturdays, with just one pole position to speak of in the entirety of last term.
Despite these longstanding qualifying woes, Hamilton is certainly wary of the Scuderia, per the Formula One Twitter feed:
Elsewhere on the grid, Williams are likely to cement their spot as the third-quickest team, with Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa keeping the outfit in safe hands. Beyond them, there was little between Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Force India in testing, which should make for some fascinating racing further down the field.
For Red Bull man Daniel Ricciardo, the season opener in his home Grand Prix is always a special occasion, as he noted on his Twitter account in the build-up to the race:
Those hoping for a McLaren renaissance Down Under are likely to be disappointed, with the team still struggling. However, we did witness some gradual improvements in testing, which means we should see the talents of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso in action further up the field than last term.
This is a race that has been extremely difficult to predict down the years too. As is evident by this statistic, the Melbourne spectacle offers a chance for a range of drivers to get off to a bright start:
It’s rare one team has been quite so dominant, though. Hamilton and Rosberg are not only two of the finest drivers in the field, but the W07 has really flexed its muscles in practice. At the moment, it’s a cut above the rest, and that will shine through over the course of the race weekend.
From there, expect a straight fight between the two men who will ultimately be vying for the championship this term. Rosberg’s faux pas in practice will have been detrimental to his otherwise flawless preparations, and given the small margins between the two Mercedes men, that will pave the way for a Hamilton win.
Prediction: 1. Hamilton, 2. Rosberg, 3. Vettel
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