The Melbourne Grand Prix! An Epic Formula One Season Opener

Whether you’ve been a die-hard fan of car racing since way back, or a new recruit after watching Netflix hit Drive to Survive, at some stage the dream of attending a race live at the track is going to feature as a great travel opportunity!

We love to travel for any reason, and when we do, we always look for opportunities to see sporting events or shows that interest us too. In this case, seeing the F1 was the reason for the trip, and it was everything we’d hoped!

McLaren are a fan favourite in 2025

Getting tickets

Tickets to the Melbourne F1 are among the most sought after, it’s the only race down under and often the first race of the reason. Tickets can be tricky to get – particularly if you’re on a budget or have particular seats in mind. Plan ahead! GA tickets give you scope to wander the park – you can get there early and set up a picnic blanket or chairs and settle in, or you can wander at will and find good spots to stand and see the action. GA tickets are generally easier to get, and cheaper, and you can certainly get a great view of the action.

Seated stadium tickets are harder to come by, we recommend getting organised early and check out the early ticket release dates and do what you can to get the best opportunities. There is generally a ballot system you can enter early to get access when the tickets go live. Don’t wait, if you want to be there you need to ready to get tickets as soon as you can.

YouTube has lots of clips showing the various stands, and a quick google search will give you information too, make a short list of stands you’d like to be in so when its time buy tickets you have a starting point. Tickets are sold by stand – so you need to know which one to aim for when you get the chance – there won’t be time for research once the tickets go live! Tickets on the main straight are always popular for good reason, but don’t rule out the cheaper stands dotted around the track, such as the Waite Stand situated in sight of two corners – you might just see a lot of action on turns 9 and 10 that they don’t get to see on pit straight!

Planning ahead

Accommodation is plentiful in Melbourne but the F1 is a huge event, we recommend booking your accommodation before you secure event tickets – via Booking.com its easy to book accommodation for a great price and generally these can be booked as fully refundable – so it’s very low risk.

As for flights, book these as soon as you can or you may struggle to get the flights you want for a reasonable price. Consider booking flights before you have your event tickets to get ahead of the rush.

Consider what else you want to do in Melbourne while you’re there, as you’re going to be sharing the city with hundreds of thousands of other visitors at the same time! If there is a particular restaurant or gallery you want to enjoy, book this early.

Like many big cities, Melbourne is well prepared for a large influx of visitors, and we found it easy enough to get around and find places to eat, Flinders Lane was a favourite for breakfast before hitting the track, and we found some great spots in other parts of the city – check out our Melbourne Destination Guide for more specific recommendations!

Stay

Choose accommodation in walking distance from the tram system – we recommend the areas around Collins Street, Little Collins Street, Flinders Lane, Federation Square – these areas boast plenty of options for accommodation that is comfortable, reasonably priced, and where you can get around on foot or by tram.

Transport

The tram system is the envy of many cities, its efficient, comfortable, and for F1 weekend its free to get to the track. Despite Melbourne laying on as many extra trams as their tracks can take, there are an unbelievable amount of people wanting to go in the same direction at the same time. Be prepared to wait (particular when leaving the track after the session) and be prepared to be sharing personal space with a lot of Maclaren-decorated strangers! Despite the close quarters, you’ll find the crowds to be friendly, and generally very considerate. Everyone is wanting to have a great time and see their teams, and unlike some sporting codes, the rivalry here is very good-natured, so don’t be afraid to stand next to a Ferrari fan in your Red Bull shirt!

Weather

We found the weather in Melbourne for our F1 experience to be wildly extreme! 37 degrees one day and freezing cold rain the next! Melbourne, like our own hometown of Christchurch, can be very inconsistent weather-wise. For the F1, be prepared for weather extremes and make sure you check out the forecast ahead of time.

You may find yourself enviously eyeing up the fan who came prepared with a held-held electric fan or the warm woolly hat! So come prepared with your own!

What to take

Comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty – although I did see many ladies in heels, I only saw one of them being carried over the mud! Wherever you’re sitting at the track, you’ll likely need to walk to and from your transport and around the amenities, and you’ll be happy in comfortable shoes.

If your tickets are GA, consider taking a blanket and chairs if you’re prepared to get there early to claim a spot – however if you don’t want to get there so early, or if you’re prepared to stand, you can move around more freely and there are good spots you can get to without needing to stake your claim hours ahead of time.

Consider taking a day pack, water bottle (there are water refilling stations there), lightweight poncho if rain is forecast, sunhat and sunscreen. Many people took umbrellas for both the sun and rain – although its difficult to use an umbrella in crowded spaces or in the stands. Take sanitiser and tissues – although the toilets on site are plentiful, after that much use things do start to become a little less pleasant after a time and you might be pleased to be prepared as supplies get low!

While you can take your own snacks, there are a multitude of food options available on site to enjoy between on track entertainment or whenever you need it.

Merch!

From the airport lounge in your own city to the track itself, you’re going to see folks wearing all kinds of F1 merchandise – whether its pricy jackets or Temu-printed t-shirts on the cheap, anything goes! These travellers recommend getting on board and being part of the fun. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Ferrari wearing their gear, or you show up in McLaren merch because you look great in orange – go for it with something to show that you’re a part of the action. In elevators, bars, trams, and cafes all over Melbourne, the banter is good-natured among fans whether rivals or teammates, so get on board!