Fans face price hikes and ticketing shake-up for Melbourne Grand Prix

September 16, 2026 — 8:30pmFour-day tickets to the Australian Grand Prix will increase again in 2027 for people who want guaranteed access to the Albert Park circuit.The corporation has announced a new ticketing structure for the April event, including a membership offering.Australian F1 driver Oscar Piastri greets fans at Albert Park. Formula 1 via Getty ImagesWhere a four-day general admission pass costs $425 - an extra $40 above what it was this year - people who pay an extra $275 to become members will be granted entry 30 minutes early, as well as discounts on merchandise and priority renewal access each year.For $1370, “grandstand members” will get reserved seating in a grandstand of their choosing and a member welcome pack.Those who pay top dollar - at least $2185 - will get a reserved seat in the Premium Members-only Brabham Grandstand across all four days.For those who only want to attend the big race on Sunday, there’s also a price increase to $220, an extra $10.Members’ tickets go on sale midday October 1, with general public tickets on sale October 6.The latest price rise means that over the past six years, a general admission four-day pass has more than doubled, an increase of nearly 125 per cent.After last year’s prices were announced, fans expressed concerns about being priced out of the sport.Melbourne will host the third round of the 2027 Formula 1 season from April 1-4 at Albert Park, with a major addition to the weekend schedule.On Wednesday evening, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation confirmed the inclusion of a high-speed, 100km sprint race ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session, giving the top eight drivers a chance to score extra championship points.The news comes after the FIA, the international governing body for world motorsport, announced an increase in the number of sprint races from six to 10 for the 2027 World Championship. Australia, Japan, Monaco, plus the season finale in Abu Dhabi will all get their first taste of the sprint format.Introduced in 2021, the sprint race was designed to increase fan engagement and add more action to typical race weekends.However, the format is controversial, with some F1 fans complaining about the lack of pit stops and overtaking, arguing the race is often predictable.News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.From our partners