There’s a lot of excitement surrounding tomorrow’s season opener in Melbourne, but a shadow of doubt has been cast over whether the race can proceed as planned. The weather forecast at Albert Park has the community slightly worried.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms have been predicted for Sunday before the lights go out. This has led to rumors of the Australian GP start time being shifted altogether. It’s supposed to begin at 3 PM local time (12 AM ET), but if the conditions worsen, affecting grip and visibility, the time, in theory, could be pushed.
However, journalist Mat Coch has informed that there are no plans to change the timings as of yet. But he did suggest that further developments could force an alteration.
“Heard a little whisper that the weather could prompt a change. Race start is 3 pm, sunset at 7:30 pm,” he wrote on the social media platform BlueSky.
Australian GP start time is not moving according to my sources. Heard a little whisper that the weather could prompt a change. Race start is 3pm, sunset at 7:30pm. #F1
— Mat Coch (@matcoch.bsky.social) March 15, 2025 at 2:49 PM
The sunset time is crucial because the Australian GP isn’t a night race. The event must start early enough to finish before sunset, meaning a delay of more than two hours could result in the race being canceled altogether.
What happens if the Australian GP gets canceled?
No one wants that. But it is a possibility the F1 community has to be mentally prepared for.
With rain coming tomorrow it’s worth noting that the @fia has the right to move the GP start in search of a drier window, although there are no current plans to do so. In Brazil last year a change was made the night before the race, but the weather pattern was clearer then.
— Adam Cooper (@adamcooperF1) March 15, 2025
If the race is called off before it begins, no points will be awarded. The same applies if fewer than two laps have been completed, meaning all drivers will go home with zero points.
That said, the FIA has regulations in place to award reduced points based on how much of the race has been completed. If the leader has completed more than two laps but less than 25% of the race distance, the top six drivers receive points in the order of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.
If between 25% and 50% of the race is completed, the top nine finishers earn points as follows: 13, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.
If the race reaches between 50% and 75% of the distance, all top 10 drivers are awarded points in the sequence of 19, 14, 12, 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, and 1. However, if more than 75% of the race is completed, full points are awarded as usual.
Although it is a rarity that a race has been canceled or reduced points have been awarded due to extreme weather, there have been past instances of it.
The last time such a situation took place was at the 2021 Belgian GP when only a handful of laps were completed because of heavy rain. So, F1 had no choice but to reward only half points under the previous regulations.
Hopefully, the 2025 Australian GP runs smoothly without any weather-related interruptions. After all, as the season opener, it is poised to set the stage for the upcoming races.
