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FIA ban verdict reached for Australian Grand Prix

F1 returns for the 2025 season at this weekend's Australian GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 12 March 2025 17:59 Updated: 19:59

An FIA verdict has been revealed ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season opener at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

The pinnacle of motorsport will return to the Albert Park Circuit, with the popular track opening the 24-race calendar for the first time since 2019.

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In the years following the calendar reshuffle in 2021, the F1 season has kicked off in Bahrain following pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit, but with two Aussie drivers on the grid in 2025, fans will be delighted to see the track return to the opening spot.

The street track will host new F1 driver Jack Doohan and McLaren star Oscar Piastri at their home race and ahead of the first grand prix of the year, fans have been handed another boost in an official ruling from the sport's governing body.

At the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, eager fans made their way onto the circuit for a track invasion, but there were still cars on track, causing the FIA to step in and enact changes which were forced to be carried out the following year as a result.

The 2023 Australian Grand Prix saw fans enter the track with cars still on it

The FIA banned track invasions at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix

Reimagined 'track walk' returns for 2025 Australian GP

The 2023 edition of the race at Albert Park saw fans spill onto the track prematurely and prompted major safety concerns after managing to get close to the stranded Haas of Nico Hulkenberg, which clearly displayed a flashing warning light to indicate the machinery was unsafe.

The incident led to an official FIA investigation into the safety of the event, with F1's governing body finding the organisers to be in serious breach of the sporting code, fining them €120,000 and issuing a post-race track walk ban for 2024 to clamp down on track access.

Ahead of this year's event, however, the Australian Grand Prix have confirmed that fans will regain access to the track in 2025, with reformed safety measures in place.

Fans will be able to enjoy the iconic Australian GP track walk in 2025

Steve Dimopoulos, minister for tourism, sport and major events confirmed the news in an official statement, saying: "The track walk is back! When the race ends on the Sunday, fans will be able to step out onto the track and safely soak in the atmosphere of this internationally acclaimed race.

"The grand prix is one of Melbourne’s most iconic major sporting events - events like this create thousands of jobs for Victorians and fill our local hotels, cafes and attractions."

Australian Grand Prix corporation CEO Travis Auld added: "The track walk is a unique and cherished experience for our fans, and we are very excited to be able to welcome it back for 2025 and have this incredible moment shared around the world.

"There is nothing quite like seeing the passionate fans join in the celebration following the race and we can only hope that this year they’re celebrating an Aussie on the podium."

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here she realised her background in journalism and love of motorsport could be combined, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work more closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan which she hopes to build on.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen FIA Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Albert Park Circuit