News Summary
- The Brazilian Grand Prix starts at 4am AEDT on Monday in Sydney and Melbourne, with a 6am NZDT start in Auckland and Wellington.
- Qualifying takes place on Sunday morning, beginning at 5am AEDT and 7am NZDT.
- Liam Lawson returns to action after his points-scoring recovery in Mexico, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli competes for the first time as Formula 1 world champion.
Formula 1 returns to Interlagos on November 6–8 for the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, but the time difference means Australian and New Zealand fans will watch the race on Monday morning, November 9. The Grand Prix starts at 4am in Sydney and Melbourne, 3am in Brisbane, 1am in Perth and 6am in Auckland.
The event follows a conventional weekend format, with three practice sessions, Saturday qualifying in Brazil and Sunday’s 71-lap race. There will be no sprint race.
What time is the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix in Australia and New Zealand?
| Location | Race date | Local start time |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney / Melbourne | Monday, Nov 9 | 4:00am AEDT |
| Brisbane | Monday, Nov 9 | 3:00am AEST |
| Adelaide | Monday, Nov 9 | 3:30am ACDT |
| Perth | Monday, Nov 9 | 1:00am AWST |
| Auckland / Wellington | Monday, Nov 9 | 6:00am NZDT |
| Christchurch | Monday, Nov 9 | 6:00am NZDT |
All times reflect the daylight saving arrangements in effect on November 8–9.
São Paulo GP 2026 — Full Australia and New Zealand schedule
| Session | Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT) | Auckland (NZDT) |
|---|---|---|
| FP1 — Saturday, Nov 7 | 2:30am | 4:30am |
| FP2 — Saturday, Nov 7 | 6:00am | 8:00am |
| FP3 — Sunday, Nov 8 | 1:30am | 3:30am |
| Qualifying — Sunday, Nov 8 | 5:00am | 7:00am |
| Race — Monday, Nov 9 | 4:00am | 6:00am |
Times converted from Formula 1’s official São Paulo Grand Prix timetable.
Liam Lawson heads to Brazil after Mexico recovery
The Brazilian Grand Prix offers another opportunity for New Zealand driver Liam Lawson to continue his recent run of competitive performances.
Lawson endured a difficult Mexican Grand Prix weekend after being disqualified from qualifying over an MGU-K technical infringement and starting the race from the pit lane.
However, the Racing Bulls driver recovered through the field, eventually moving to seventh after post-race penalties changed the classification.
Lawson’s remarkable comeback from the pit lane in Mexico demonstrated the importance of strategy and persistence during an eventful race.
The New Zealander will now seek another strong result at Interlagos.
Antonelli begins his reign as F1 world champion
Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives in Brazil having secured the 2026 Drivers’ Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old Mercedes driver became Formula 1’s youngest world champion, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record.
Antonelli will also honour Ayrton Senna with a special helmet at Interlagos.
Mercedes can also secure the Constructors’ Championship during the weekend, completing a championship double.
For the complete international timetable, see the São Paulo Grand Prix schedule and race start times.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the São Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
