Teams told Australia will open 2025 as early F1 calendar emerges
Teams have been told the 2025 F1 season will start in Australia in early March. Image: Batchelor / XPB Images
Teams were presented with a work-in-progress version of the early rounds of the 2025 calendar in a meeting with F1 in Melbourne.
Next year’s calendar promises to have a slightly different feel, with the championship set to begin in Australia rather than Bahrain.
Melbourne last hosted the season opener in 2019. It was slated to host the first event the following season, though it was called off on the morning of opening practice as the COVID pandemic began to grip Australia.
Since 2021, Bahrain has become the default start to the year, following on from pre-season testing – a popular venue for it because of the warm, stable climate.
However, with Ramadan set to run through March next year, it is not in a position to host the opening event.
As such, sources have confirmed to Speedcafe that teams have been told the season will start in Australia on March 9, as previously reported.
That was reaffirmed by the Adelaide Motorsport Festival tentatively announcing its 2025 date – a week prior, on March 2.
From there, the sport will venture to Japan and then China, as it will do this year.
The exact flow is still being worked out, but it’s believed the Japanese Grand Prix will take place on March 23 and the Chinese Grand Prix a week later (though those events may swap places).
Formula 1 would then venture to the Middle East for races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Miami would follow as Round 6 of the championship, likely on April 20, before the circus takes in the first European race of the year in Imola.
From there, the suggestion is a familiar sequence would follow, with Monaco next and then back to Canada.
Teams have also been advised that, though not yet locked in, pre-season testing will likely take place in Bahrain.
There is appetite for it to be hosted in Spain given it would be simpler logistically, since the year will begin in Australia, but the more favourable conditions in Bahrain are thus far expected to win out.
Testing is expected to remain at three days, likely running from February 19-21.
However, it is worth noting that the calendar remains a work in progress and must first be ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
The sport’s commercial rights holder desires to have that happen earlier this year if possible, which appears realistic given that the major stumbling block (Ramadan) appears to have been overcome.
Proposed 2025 F1 calendar February 19-21 – Pre-season, Bahrain March 9 – Australia March 23 – Japan March 30 – China April 13 – Bahrain April 20 – Saudi Arabia May 4 – Miami May 18 – Imola May 25 – Monaco
