Lewis Hamilton will open his Ferrari career in Melbourne next year – as the Australian Grand Prix is reinstated as the opening race of the season.

The 2025 calendar was announced on Friday morning, with Ramadan having put paid to a start in the Middle East as has become usual.

The 24-race season will begin in Melbourne on March 16 and conclude in Abu Dhabi on December 7.

The schedule pairs Australia and China (March 23) as a back-to-back grouping.

Japan follows a fortnight later, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, this year’s opening rounds, moving back to April 13 and April 20.

Lewis Hamilton will be making the switch from Mercedes to Ferrari from 2025 onwards

The British star will kick-start his Ferrari career with the Australian Grand Prix next year

The FIA confirmed the full F1 calendar for the 2025 season, which will begin in Australia before ending in Abu Dhabi at the start of December

The British Grand Prix on July 6, on the middle week of Wimbledon, but not clashing with the golf’s Open Championship at Portrush, which starts the following week.

The seven-time F1 world champion’s shock move to the famous Italian garage was confirmed before the start of the current season for 2025, with Hamilton now in his final year at Mercedes.

His arrival stunned the sport’s fans and competing teams alike as it was announced Hamilton would replace Sainz, who must now find a new seat at a rival team for next season.

Hamilton will partner Ferrari’s top driver in Charles Leclerc at the garage led by team principal Frederic Vasseur – despite Sainz enjoying the stronger start to the new season, with some supporters criticising the decision to swap drivers.