WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The key storylines to look out for at Round 1 in Melbourne

4 March 2026

We are just a few sleeps away from the start of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 season, with the entire paddock waiting go racing at Round 1 in Melbourne.

There are plenty of things to look forward to this weekend both on and off the track, so we have picked out a few storylines to pay attention to in Australia.

ANOTHER START DOWN UNDER

For the second season in a row, Melbourne plays host to Round 1, much to the delight of the drivers, both rookies and returnees.

Several rookies had earmarked Albert Park as the track that they were most looking forward to racing, while the drivers coming back for another season are delighted to get the chance to go back.

Last year Rafael Câmara and TRIDENT made an exceptional start, winning a wet Feature Race from pole position, with teammate Noah Stromsted second in both.

So will the Italian team make it two in a row this year or will somebody else step up to take top spot this weekend.

It was a TRIDENT 1-2 in the Melbourne Feature Race last season

DRIVERS’ TITLE STARTS NOW

While it is just the first race weekend of the season, and a bad result does rule any driver or team out of title contention, historically, a fast start in Round 1 usually means you end up with a title.

In the history of Formula 3, only once has the Drivers’ Champion not won a race on the opening weekend. This happened in 2024 with Leonardo Fornaroli – although he at least finished on the podium in the Sakhir Sprint Race.

In 2019, Robert Shwartzman won the Feature Race, as did Oscar Piastri in 2020, Victor Martins in 2022, Gabriel Bortoleto in 2023, and Câmara in 2025. Dennis Hauger also won race three in 2021.

This could all be a coincidence, but a fast start would not hurt anybody’s chances of winning the title, and it is what the drivers and teams will be chasing this weekend.

So if your favourite driver does indeed end up on the podium in Melbourne, maybe you can start planning the end of year celebrations. But watch out, as history is always being made in F3.

The winner of the first Feature Race of the season has often won the title at the end of the season

PECKING ORDER QUESTIONS

The Standings at the end of the 2025 season usually shows where each team is going into the winter, but maybe not where they are entering the new campaign.

The teams and their drivers have been hard at work over the break preparing for the second year with these Formula 3 cars, and if pre-season testing in Barcelona is anything to go by, there have been a lot of improvements.

Melbourne will give us our first glimpse into what the current pecking order looks like, and also as to how tight these are on the grid.

The teams will all have a small idea of where they sit, but nothing will be confirmed until Qualifying on Friday. It’s game on!

The teams have been hard at work preparing for the season

WHAT DOES THE WEATHER SAY

Last year’s Feature Race was held in very wet conditions, with heavy rain causing havoc on Sunday morning. But should we expect the same this weekend?

The current forecast says there is zero chance of rain, but things can change very quickly in Melbourne, especially when it comes to the weather.

If it does not change though, expect a hot race and while the teams have data from last year’s warm Sprint Race to go on with these cars, they do not have it for the Feature.

Tyre management will be key which could favour the experience drivers, who have knowledge of racing wheel-to-wheel with these cars.

But it is Melbourne and it is Formula 3, so anything can happen. Let’s go racing!