F1 is back. The 2019 season gets underway in Melbourne this weekend, with the Australian Grand Prix. Here’s our guide on how to catch the action, including channels and UK times for practice races, qualifying and, of course, the main event. With everything taking place in the early hours, we’d recommend stocking up on coffee and plenty of comfort food so you don’t miss reigning champion Lewis Hamilton battle it out with last year’s Australian GP winner Sebastian Vettel. It should all be rather exciting. The Brit came out on top in both Practice One and Practice Two, trailed by Vettel in the first session, and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in the second. Australian Grand Prix Schedule: What time is F1 on TV this weekend? The first stop on the 2019 Formula One world tour is Melbourne, with the main action taking place on Saturday and Sunday. Read on for all the live stream details. Here’s this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix race schedule (all times GMT): Saturday March 16 2:45am − Australian GP Practice Three build-up (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event) 3am − Australian GP Practice Three (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event) 5am − Australian GP Qualifying build-up (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 6am − Australian GP Qualifying (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 7:30am − The F1 Show (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) Sunday March 17 3:30am − Australian GP Pit Lane (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 4:15am − Australian GP On the Grid (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 5:10am − THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 7am − Australian GP Paddock (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 8am − Full race replay (Sky Sports F1, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky One) 11:35am − Full race replay (Sky Sports F1, Sky One) Australian Grand Prix: TV channel and live stream details Sky now has exclusive rights to F1 in the UK, but you’ll be able to catch the highlights via Channel 4. If you’re a Sky subscriber, you can tune in – in 4K, no less – on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports F1 and Sky One. You can also tune in using the Sky Go mobile app, at no additional charge. Here are some quick-links to help you: If you’re not a Sky customer, but desperately don’t want to miss this season’s opener, you can watch the action by picking up a NOW TV Sports Pass, which will set you back either £8.99 (for a Day Pass) or £14.99 (for a Week Pass). The Week Pass is obviously the best value for F1 fanatics, especially if you’re completely free on both Saturday and Sunday morning. To catch Channel 4’s highlights from 2pm on Sunday, you’ll need to head to the normal broadcast channel or the All 4 website linked below for an on-demand service: Alternatively, you can watch the action using the All 4 mobile app: Share your Australian Grand Prix race predictions with us on Twitter @TrustedReviews.<doc-sep>First Name Last Name We will use the details you have shared to manage your registration. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your registration as described in our Privacy Policy. Would you like to receive The WeekDay email newsletter? We will use the details you have shared to manage your newsletter subscription. You agree to the processing, storage, sharing and use of this information for the purpose of managing your subscription as described in our Privacy Policy. We will use the information you have shared for carefully considered and specific purposes, where we believe we have a legitimate case to do so, for example to send you communications about similar products and services we offer. You can find out more about our legitimate interest activity in our privacy policy. If you wish to object to the use of your data in this way, please tick here. ‘We’ includes The Week and other Dennis Group brands as detailed here<doc-sep>Eight days of winter testing is in the books. Ferrari appear the strongest, but Mercedes' late gains in Barcelona means the season-opening Australian Grand Prix is wide open. What time does it start? How can I watch it? This weekend's Australian Grand Prix is set to get underway at 4:10 p.m. local time, 5:10 a.m. (GMT) and 12:10 a.m. (ET). For U.S. viewers, all of this weekend's sessions are live on ESPN: Friday -- Practice Practice 1 - Thursday, March 14, 8:55 p.m. - ESPN3 Practice 2 - Friday, March 15, 12:55 a.m. - ESPNEWS Saturday -- Qualifying Practice 3 - Friday, March 15, 10:55 p.m. - ESPNEWS Qualifying - Saturday, March 16, 1:55 a.m. - ESPN2 Qualifying (re-air) - Saturday, March 16, 7:00 - ESPN2 Sunday -- Race On The Grid - Sunday, March 17, 12:30 a.m. - ESPN Race - Sunday, March 17, 1:00 a.m. - ESPN Race (re-air) - Sunday, March 17, 6:30 a.m. - ESPN2 Race (re-air) - Sunday, March 17, 9:00 p.m. - ESPNEWS U.K. viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1. Check local listings for all other territories. The burning question... Just how far ahead of the pack is Ferrari? After two weeks of testing in Barcelona, Ferrari emerged with the fastest lap time, 0.003 seconds quicker than Mercedes' best effort. Nothing, right? It's not the first time in recent years we've seen the Scuderia set the benchmark in winter testing, and such a minimal gap, on paper at least, seems virtually insignificant as the teams head to Melbourne. However, there's far more to read into than the three thousandths of a second difference on the final day. Testing in general can be difficult to decipher who is actually on top, but from the data we have, Ferrari appears to be comfortably ahead of its rivals in both one-lap and race pace. The qualifying pace may have been almost identical on the fastest compound tyres, but Hamilton's best time was set in far cooler conditions than when Vettel took to the track in the Ferrari. That alone is worth two to three tenths of a second. In race simulation the Ferrari was, on average, 0.28 seconds per lap quicker than Mercedes. While that may not seem like an enormous difference, over the course of a 66 lap race, it equates to around an 18.5 second advantage. Things can change quickly in Formula One, but for now, at least, it's advantage Ferrari. Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari arrives at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya ahead of winter testing. Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images Which car will suit the track? With only testing data to go on, predicting which package will suit Melbourne's Albert Park Street Circuit is an enormous challenge. As indicated, testing form suggests Ferrari has the most complete car. The speed is there over one-lap as well as in race trim and they come to Australia looking for a third straight win Down Under. Albert Park is not the easiest circuit to overtake on, so there's an added importance to qualifying. Mercedes has always performed strongly on Saturday in Melbourne -- they have claimed five straight pole positions at the Australian Grand Prix -- and another strong showing will have them in a strong position. If there's a midfield team to keep an eye out for in Australia it has to be Haas. The VF-19 was impressive during testing in Barcelona and we mustn't forget Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean were on track for top-five finishes last year in Melbourne before a pair of botched pit stops ruined their races. The stat files 3 - Vettel is looking to join Michael Schumacher as the only drivers in history to win three consecutive Australian GPs. The Ferrari driver won in Melbourne in both 2017 and 2018. 2006 - The last time the winner of the Australian GP was not German, British or Finnish. 12 - Ferrari and McLaren have each won the Australian GP on 12 occasions, more than any other constructor. 20% - Hamilton has started from pole position in each of the past five races in Australia, however, he's only won once (2015). 4 - Australians to have raced at the Australian GP in the world championship era (Jack Brabham, Alan Jones, Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo). Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes is seen during Formula One winter testing in Barcelona. Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images Tyre talk Available compounds: Hard C2 (white), Medium C3 (yellow), Soft C4 (red) Mario Isolo, Head of car racing - "Our C2, C3 and C4 hard, medium and soft nominations this year are roughly equivalent to the 2018 medium, soft and ultrasoft compounds. This should allow drivers to push hard from the start to the finish of each stint. After a very productive test in Barcelona, we feel satisfied that the 2019 tyre range is on course to meet our objectives of combining performance with durability. Of course, there are still a number of aspects -- such as degradation over the length of a stint -- that will only be revealed after free practice in Australia. One other important consideration in Australia will be seeing how the new aero rules work, and if this leads to more overtaking -- which is difficult to establish during testing." Minimum starting pressures: Front 22.5 psi, rear 19.5 psi Weather forecast Summer has just drawn to a close in Melbourne, and with it, dramatic temperature drops. Expect a rather pleasant 23-27 celsius over the race weekend with only a touch of cloud in the sky. It's very unlikely we will see rain, but, as they say, Melbourne is the city where you experience four seasons in one day. Do not discount anything. Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari leads Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes during the 2018 Australian Grand Prix. Charles Coates/Getty Images ESPN's prediction We shouldn't ignore the telling signs from testing. Not to mention he has won the Australian Grand Prix in each of the past two seasons. Winner: Sebastian Vettel<doc-sep>
ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE/Getty Images Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are still the dominant forces of Formula One ahead of the first race of the 2019 season, the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday. Hamilton is the driver to beat, but he'll know how strong the threat from Ferrari is. The team has bolstered an already impressive vehicle to afford Sebastian Vettel the chance to match Hamilton car for car. Keeping pace with superior vehicles is the challenge for Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen. He'll be aided by Honda engines this season, but the talented 21-year-old still faces a daunting task loosening Hamilton's grip on the title. Date: Sunday, March 17 Time: 5:10 a.m. GMT/1:10 a.m. ET Video Play Button Videos you might like TV Info: Sky Sports F1, ESPN Live Stream: Sky Go, ESPN Player Full list of drivers available, per the F1 official website. Hamilton offered a timely reminder of his ability to stay ahead of the field by posting the fastest times in the first two practice sessions on Saturday. The 34-year-old finished 0.036 seconds quicker than Vettel in FP1 before posting a lap time 0.8 seconds quicker than Verstappen in the second practice session, per the F1 official website. Those finishes inspired confidence from the champion ahead of qualifying. While he can be expected to once again be in the thick of the title tussle, Hamilton will have to be better than ever to keep revamped Ferrari at bay. Quality of the vehicle could prove decisive in Vettel's bid to match Hamilton's haul of five titles. Sky Sports' Martin Brundle thinks "the grid might be chasing a red car this year rather than a silver car." Speed will be an advantage for Vettel, but one other intangible may ensure the edge continues to belong to Hamilton. While the latter continues to comfortably outperform teammate Valtteri Bottas—who finished 0.048 seconds behind Hamilton in FP2—Vettel is set to face a fresh challenge from team-mate Charles Leclerc, who replaced Kimi Raikkonen. Perry McCarthy, a former Stig on Top Gear, told Warren Muggleton of the Daily Star how precocious 21-year-old Leclerc will increase the pressure on Vettel: "Everyone has known for a long time exactly how talented Charles is. And his big moment in time is to go out and start beating Sebastian. Vettel will be Charles' absolute target." The burden of staying ahead of one of the sport's rising stars, while still trying to chase down its dominant force, could prove too much for Vettel. By contrast, Verstappen is likely to gain enthusiasm from a change of team-mates. Daniel Ricciardo leaving for Renault and Pierre Gasly coming on board has put the spotlight firmly on Verstappen. He has the talent to pull off a few notable wins in a car he's admitted isn't fast enough yet, per Craig Venn of The Checkered Flag. Verstappen's career is on the rise, even though it's doubtful Red Bull have done enough to boost the engines to seriously challenge Mercedes and Ferrari.