The Australian Grand Prix Corporation is under fire from Formula 1 fans after introducing costly memberships for 2027 and locking a popular grandstand behind the most expensive paywall.
The Melbourne event has been unveiled for April 1-4 as the third race on next year’s calendar while it will also feature an F1 sprint race for the first time.
Australia’s showpiece has exploded in popularity since returning from its COVID hiatus on the back of the sport’s Drive to Survive boom, despite rising prices and increased concerns of overcrowding.
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Organisers have announced new attendance records each year since 2022.
This year’s Thursday crowd figure was up 30,000 from four years ago while the Friday crowd figure was only marginally smaller than the 2022 Sunday number.
The fight to secure tickets for 2027 has now taken a turn with three tiers of memberships now offering ‘priority access’ from October 1 before other sale periods on October 2 (Amex) and October 6 (general public).
The Park Pass (general admission) membership costs $275, a Grandstand membership is $750 while a Premium membership will set fans back $1275.
Tickets are then purchased on top of the membership price: a four-day Park Pass costs $425, Grandstand seats range from $620 to $1295 and the Premium tickets cost $910 to $1090.
Notably, the Brabham Grandstand at turn 1-2 is now exclusive to Premium members.
Organisers trumpeted that members will be allowed to enter 30 minutes before the public and receive express entry at some gates throughout the day.
They also reiterated the membership program is an “additional option for fans” and “standalone tickets to the event will remain available for purchase”.
But unlike AFL memberships, a membership is tied to just one ticket — meaning a family or group of friends keen to sit together in a grandstand would each need to pay at least $425 to access the priority sale to then buy their tickets.
And the pushback has been fierce with fans already speaking out, particularly against the Brabham Grandstand change, on social media.
“So you buy a membership for $1275 and still have to pay $1000+ for a ticket? Bear in mind in a section that you could get for $825 this year… absolute money grab! If anything you should be including the ticket in the membership,” Sean Andrews wrote.
Peta McAllan, who said she travels from the Northern Territory to attend every year, said it “really leaves a sour taste in my mouth”.
“I can’t believe you can’t access Brabham without a membership. It honestly feels like such a disappointing money grab,” McAllan wrote.
“I save throughout the year to be able to attend, so the added cost and restriction of needing a membership just to access a grandstand I’ve sat in before is incredibly frustrating. It genuinely makes me question whether I’ll continue attending in the future.”
Ayrton Jansz wrote: “Membership $1300 per year then have to pay another 1000 ontop to get tickets. Insane.”
Erin Rust said: “What a cash grab.”
Jonny Fraser wrote: “This is honestly disgusting. Pricing out the very fan that has built this event from years ago to what it is today. Brabham prices have nearly tripled in one year. Absolutely shameless.”
The Australian Grand Prix will be one of 10 sprint rounds in 2027.
One practice session will kick things off on Friday morning before sprint qualifying that afternoon.
The sprint race will then take place on Saturday morning followed later by qualifying for the grand prix, which will take place on Sunday as normal.
F1 bosses clearly believe the 30-minute sprint races are the way forward, with Bahrain set to stage one on the first weekend and even the marquee event in Monaco, somewhat surprisingly considering its reputation for near-impossible overtaking, doing so on June 6.
The Japanese GP at Suzuka on April 11 and the season-finale in Abu Dhabi on December 12 will also host their first sprint races, along with returning venues in Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar.
— with AAP
