New sponsor for 2026 Australian Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne remains as the F1 season opener in 2026, but it will have a new name.

It will be known as the Qatar Airways Australian Formula One Grand Prix and will take place from March 5 to 8.

The date is the earliest Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne since 2005, when it was on March 6.

However, it is the first to have naming rights from Qatar Airways, which is the seventh since the race crossed the border in 1996.

This year, the race also had a new name, with Louis Vuitton replacing Rolex, which was the longest-running title partner, having sponsored 10 races from 2013 to 2020, plus 2024.

Qantas backed it from 1997 to 2001 and from 2010 to 2012, while Foster’s was from 2002 to 2006, ING from 2007 to 2009, and Heineken from 2022.

A record 465,498 crowd packed into Albert Park to watch the 2025 season opener, where Lando Norris won, but Oscar Piastri came closer than any other Australian to be victorious at Melbourne before his infamous reversing effort.

“This year’s Grand Prix was bigger and better than ever,” said for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos. 

“Not just in terms of the record attendance at Albert Park, but new events like the F1 Melbourne Fan Festival that helped make the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix one of the most memorable in recent years.

“The Allan Labor Government is excited to lock in the dates for next year’s race and get to work on another unforgettable event that brings even more visitors from around the world to Melbourne.”

“The Formula 1 calendar announcement is always an exciting moment, and in the coming weeks we will be sharing on-sale dates for tickets to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026, which we know will be eagerly anticipated,” Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Travis Auld said.

“There is something special about being the first race of the season, and we’re looking forward to sharing that with hundreds of thousands of fans once again in 2026.”

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