After an epic start to the season in Bahrain and Jeddah, F1 is now all set to return to Melbourne for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. The sport last went to the iconic Albert Park in 2019 and could not make it back there due to COVID-19 regulations.
Practice sessions for the weekend will take place on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9. There will be three F1 practice sessions as the weekend is set to follow the standard qualifying format i.e., not the sprint format. Each session — FP1, FP2, and FP3 — will be an hour-long, giving teams ample time to try a variety of setups.
While practice sessions do not carry any championship points, nor do they set the grid for the race on Sunday, they help teams find the perfect setup to dial in for both qualifying and race sessions. The Australian Grand Prix practice sessions are especially important as the track has undergone major changes, forcing teams to rework their strategies.
Ferrari and Red Bull are the favorites heading into Melbourne as the two teams have been leaps and bounds ahead of the rest in 2022. Eight-time F1 constructors' champions Mercedes, however, are reportedly bringing in changes to their porpoising-plagued W13, giving fans hope for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
TV Schedule for 2022 F1 Australian Grand Prix practice sessions
Here are the timings for the highly-awaited event taking place this weekend for fans in the USA, UK, and India.
USA
FP1 - 11:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2022
FP2 - 2:00 AM ET, Friday, April 8, 2022
FP3 - 11:00 PM ET, Friday, April 8, 2022
UK
FP1 - 3:00 am GMT, Friday, April 8, 2022.
FP2 - 6:00 am GMT, Friday, April 8, 2022.
FP3 - 3:00 am GMT, Saturday, April 9, 2022
India
FP1 - 8:30 am IST, Friday, April 8, 2022
FP2 - 11:30 am IST, Friday, April 8, 2022
FP3 - 8:30 am IST, Saturday, April 9, 2022
Where can you watch the 2022 Australian Grand Prix practice sessions?
USA
Fans from the US can watch all the practice sessions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
UK
Viewers from the UK can catch the action live on Sky Sports F1.
India
Indian fans can catch the broadcast of the practice sessions on Star Sports Select, Star Sports Select HD 2, and Disney+ Hotstar.
As the sport returns to Albert Park once again for the Australian Grand Prix, only time will tell if the drivers can keep up with the various changes that have been made to the circuit in 2022.