A potential shake-up to the F1 calendar could see the Australian Grand Prix lose its coveted position as the season-opening race for 2027.
Australia will reportedly be skipped as the first Grand Prix weekend of the F1 season for the first time in three years, with Bahrain tipped to take its opening spot on the 2027 calendar.
According to PlanetF1, the earlier conclusion of Ramadan in 2027 – finishing in the first week of March – opens the door for Bahrain to host Round 1 of the F1 season, with a provisional date of 14 March.
Albert Park held the season-opening race from 1995 to 2019 in all but two years, before Melbourne was forced off the calendar in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not returning until 2022.
Bahrain then took over as the opener from 2021 to 2024, with Melbourne reclaiming the coveted slot last year.
The circuit near the Bahraini city of Sakhir has long been considered a natural season opener given it hosts pre-season testing.
If the change goes ahead, F1 would stay in the Middle East for the second round in Saudi Arabia, moving Melbourne to the third Grand Prix weekend, currently expected to be scheduled for 4 April.
The 2027 calendar is expected to feature 24 races. The schedule will see the return of the Turkish Grand Prix and the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Emma has been on our television screens for over a decade. Most of her time in the industry has been spent at racetracks reporting at major motorsport events in Australia - from TCR and Superbikes to Porsche Sprint Challenge and Supercars. Emma has also hosted various MotoGP and F1 events interviewing the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Jack Miller. Having previously presented on an automotive show, she made her move to the Drive family in 2020. Fiercely proud of her Italian heritage, Emma is a coffee loving, stylish-black wearing resident of Melbourne.
