The Australian Formula One Grand Prix will start one hour earlier this year following a safety review of Jules Bianchi’s crash in Japan last October.

The race will begin at 4pm local time, instead of 5pm, on March 15 at Melbourne’s Albert Park.

Qualifying on Saturday, however, will remain at 5pm.

Start times for four other grands prix – Malaysia, China, Japan and Russia – have also been brought forward.

Bianchi suffered severe brain injuries at Suzuka when his Marussia skidded off track, in fading light and heavy rain, and ploughed into a recovery vehicle.

The 25-year-old Frenchman remains unconscious and in a serious condition in a Nice hospital but is breathing on his own.

The sport’s governing body, the FIA, set up a panel to investigate the crash and recommended last month that the start time of an event should not be less than four hours before either sunset or dusk – except in the case of night races.

Sunset in Melbourne is due at 7.40pm on race day.

“We’re always looking for continuous improvement in every facet of the event and we’re staying true to that philosophy by mutually agreeing to a move to 4:00pm,” the Australian Grand Prix Corporation said in a statement on Wednesday.

2015 F1 RACE START TIMES (local):

15/03 Australia: 16:00

29/03 Malaysia: 15:00

12/04 China: 14:00

19/04 Bahrain: 18:00

10/05 Spain: 14:00

24/05 Monaco: 14:00

07/06 Canada: 14:00

21/06 Austria: 14:00

05/07 Britain: 13:00

19/07 Germany: 14:00

26/07 Hungary: 14:00

23/08 Belgium: 14:00

06/09 Italy: 14:00

20/09 Singapore: 20:00

27/09 Japan: 14:00

11/10 Russia: 14:00

25/10 United States: 14:00

01/11 Mexico: 13:00

15/11 Brazil: 14:00

29/11 Abu Dhabi: 17:00