Early Birds or Night Owls? The 2025 F1 Calendar for Fans in the Americas and Oceania

What time will Formula 1 races start for fans in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and more…

Published

22 JAN 2025

Est. reading time

2 min

Formula 1’s global calendar is a treat for motorsport fans - but, for F1 fans living outside the central GMT/CET hub, some race times can mean bleary-eyed mornings or late nights.

At Williams Racing, we appreciate the commitment a lot of our fans make to following the team, so we’ve broken down the 2025 calendar to see what races might require a little extra planning. Here’s your survival guide!

For Fans in the Americas: Coffee or Cocktails?

Living in the Americas can sometimes feel like you’re hopping timezones from the comfort of your own home with F1. Here’s what the 2025 schedule looks like based off last season's starting times:

Early Mornings: Alarm Clock Required

These races require dedication… and caffeine:

Shanghai, China: A pre-sunrise start, around 3am ET. Suzuka, Japan: A familiar story for fans, about 1am ET. Singapore: Despite being a night race, it’s still breakfast for you - around 8 AM ET.

Prime Viewing or Late Night Vibes

Now, these are your friendlier time slots:

Melbourne, Australia: Who needs sleep on a Saturday night? Lights out will be around Midnight Eastern Time (ET). Miami, Montreal, Austin, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo: Enjoy afternoon sessions without needing to set a reminder. Las Vegas, USA: Make this a Saturday night party! This late race kicks off at 10 PM PST.

The Middle Ground: Manageable Wake-Ups

Baku, Azerbaijan: Early but survivable – 6 AM ET. European Races (Monaco, Barcelona, Silverstone, etc.): Most start around 9 AM ET. A bit of a stretch for West Coasters, but not bad.

For Fans in Oceania and East Asia: Sleepless Nights Ahead?

On paper, you’re close to some of the sport’s most iconic circuits, but race times can be brutal. Here’s how the calendar plays out for you:

Late Nights and Early Hours

These races might test your dedication (and your espresso machine):

Miami, USA: Get ready for a 6am Monday start (6am AEST). Montreal, Canada: A 4am AEST Monday start – prime night owl territory. Austin, USA: A little better, but still at 7am AEST. Mexico City, Mexico: Another 7am AEST kickoff. Sao Paulo, Brazil: The sun’s not up – 4 AM AEST. Most Middle East races, including Bahrain, will be 1am AEST starts.

Sweet Relief: Favourable Hours

Thank the racing gods for these manageable races:

Melbourne, Australia: Aussies, we’re starting on your home turf! Prime time for locals. Shanghai, China: Evening delight, starting around 6pm AEST. Suzuka, Japan: A respectable 3pm AEST. Singapore: Night race perfection, around 11pm AEST.