What time is the Mexican F1 Grand Prix in Australia and New Zealand on Monday?

News Summary

• The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix starts at 7am AEDT on Monday, November 2, in Sydney and Melbourne, while Brisbane viewers can watch from 6am AEST and Perth from 4am AWST.
• New Zealand fans will see the race begin at 9am NZDT on Monday, while the start time in India is 1:30am IST.
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli could secure his first Formula 1 World Championship in Mexico, with the Mercedes driver entering the weekend 123 points ahead of George Russell.

The 2026 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix takes place on Sunday (November 1) at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but fans in Australia, New Zealand and India will watch the race on Monday, November 2, because of the time difference. The 71-lap event begins at 14:00 local time in Mexico City, corresponding to 07:00 in Sydney and Melbourne, 09:00 in Auckland and 01:30 in India.

The Mexican Grand Prix is the 19th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship and could decide the Drivers’ title, with Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli arriving after his victory in Austin. The Italian leads the standings by 123 points and has an opportunity to become world champion before the final four rounds of the season.

What time is the Mexican Grand Prix in Australia?

The Mexican Grand Prix starts at 7am AEDT on Monday, November 2, in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart.

Australian viewers should pay particular attention to the different time zones used across the country, as daylight saving time is currently in effect in several states but not others.

Brisbane remains on Australian Eastern Standard Time, meaning the race begins at 6am. Adelaide will see the start at 6:30am, while viewers in Darwin can watch from 5:30am.

In Perth, the race begins at 4am AWST, making Western Australia the earliest major Australian market to receive the live broadcast.

Mexican GP 2026 — Australian race start times

The times refer to the scheduled start of the race, not the beginning of television coverage.

Australia’s daylight saving arrangements explain the one-hour difference between Sydney and Brisbane, despite both cities being located on the country’s east coast.

Where to watch the Mexican F1 Grand Prix in Australia

Fox Sports provides Formula 1 coverage in Australia, with live streaming available through Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

Kayo Sports subscribers can watch the race through supported devices, while Foxtel customers can access the relevant Fox Sports channels according to their subscription package.

The services also provide additional Formula 1 programming, including qualifying, practice sessions and race analysis.

Fans should check their broadcaster’s listings for the exact start of pre-race coverage, which may begin before the scheduled 7am AEDT start.

For Australian viewers following the championship closely, the Mexican Grand Prix is particularly important because Antonelli could secure the title with four rounds remaining.

What time is the Mexican Grand Prix in New Zealand?

The 2026 Mexican Grand Prix begins at 9am NZDT on Monday, November 2, in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

New Zealand is currently observing daylight saving time, placing the main islands 13 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and 19 hours ahead of Mexico City.

That produces a Monday morning start for the race, allowing fans to follow the event without the overnight viewing hours required for many American rounds.

Mexican GP 2026 — New Zealand race start times

Sky Sport holds Formula 1 broadcasting rights in New Zealand, with coverage available through its television channels and supported streaming services.

New Zealand viewers also have a particular interest in Liam Lawson, who continues to compete for Racing Bulls during the 2026 season.

Lawson’s preparations for the Mexican Grand Prix were complicated by an incident involving Max Verstappen during Friday practice.

Both drivers received one-place grid penalties after colliding in the stadium section.

The FIA also imposed one penalty point on each driver’s super licence after concluding that both had contributed to an unnecessary incident.

Lawson will therefore have to overcome the grid penalty when the starting order for Sunday’s race is finalised.

What time is the Mexican Grand Prix in India?

The Mexico City Grand Prix starts at 1:30am IST on Monday, November 2, for viewers throughout India.

Unlike Australia and New Zealand, India uses a single national time zone and does not observe daylight saving time.

The race therefore begins at the same time in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

Mexican GP 2026 — India schedule

FanCode provides Formula 1 coverage in India, with live streaming available through its digital platforms.

F1 TV is another option for eligible subscribers, depending on the available package and regional rights.

The late-night start means Indian fans will need to stay awake into Monday morning to follow the race live.

Mexican GP 2026: Race start times around the world

The Mexican Grand Prix begins at 14:00 Central Standard Time in Mexico City on Sunday, November 1.

For international viewers, the race takes place at different local times and, in several countries, on a different calendar date.

The United States and Canada return to standard time on November 1, while Australia and New Zealand are observing daylight saving time.

British and Irish viewers can find the complete Mexican Grand Prix Sunday start-time and television guide.

Antonelli could win 2026 Formula 1 title in Mexico

The Mexican Grand Prix could be decisive in the Drivers’ Championship, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli entering the weekend 123 points ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell.

The Italian strengthened his position by winning the United States Grand Prix at Austin on October 25, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.

Antonelli has accumulated 365 points and needs only two additional points to guarantee the championship, regardless of the results of his closest rivals.

A ninth-place finish would therefore be sufficient for the Mercedes driver to secure his first world title.

If Antonelli finishes outside the points, the championship could still be decided in Mexico depending on the results of Russell and the other mathematically eligible contenders.

The race is particularly significant because only four Grands Prix will remain after Mexico City: São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes fight for victory in Mexico

Although Antonelli enters the weekend as the championship leader, Ferrari emerged as one of the strongest contenders during Friday practice.

Charles Leclerc topped both sessions, putting Ferrari among the leading candidates for pole position.

The Monegasque set a 1:17.827 in FP2, finishing 0.103s ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and 0.106s clear of Russell.

Antonelli completed the top four, while Verstappen placed fifth.

Ferrari’s preparations were not entirely straightforward, however, as Lewis Hamilton stopped during FP2 with a power unit problem.

The seven-time world champion had been running fourth before the mechanical issue interrupted his session.

Meanwhile, Verstappen’s preparations were affected by the collision with Lawson, which damaged his Red Bull and resulted in a one-place grid penalty.

The final starting grid will depend on Saturday’s qualifying results and the application of the outstanding penalties.

How many laps is the Mexican Grand Prix?

The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix is scheduled for 71 laps of the 4.304km Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, producing a total race distance of approximately 305.35km.

The circuit is located more than 2,200 metres above sea level, creating unusual challenges for cooling systems, power units and aerodynamic efficiency.

Its layout includes a long main straight, several technical corners and the distinctive Foro Sol stadium section.

The 2026 race follows the traditional Grand Prix weekend format, with three practice sessions, qualifying and Sunday’s race.

There is no sprint event in Mexico.

What is the next F1 race after Mexico?

Formula 1 travels to Brazil for the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 8, followed by Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.