2026 Australian Grand Prix
George Russell opened the 2026 Formula 1 season with victory at the Albert Park Circuit, leading a dominant one-two finish for Mercedes in the Australian Grand Prix.
Melbourne officially opened a Formula 1 season filled with more unknowns than ever. The cars, completely revised in terms of both power unit and aerodynamics, had already enjoyed their first taste of track action during nine days of testing in Barcelona and Sakhir. However, their true potential was only likely to emerge during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
STATISTICS
The Australian Grand Prix celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The race will be held in Melbourne for the 29th time, the city having taken over from Adelaide in 1996 after the latter hosted the first eleven editions.
Michael Schumacher remains the most successful driver with four victories, one more than Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel. A further 21 drivers have won the event, including the reigning World Champion Lando Norris in 2025. The round in the southern hemisphere is one of the races with the greatest variety of winners.
Among the constructors, McLaren holds the record with 12 victories, just one more than Ferrari.
FRIDAY
Ferrari looked strong during the first practice session of the year, with Charles Leclerc leading teammate Lewis Hamilton at the top of the charts. However, it was Oscar Piastri who topped the timesheets on the first official day of the Formula 1 season.
The home hero delighted the local crowd by setting the fastest time at the Albert Park Circuit. Piastri clocked a 1:19.729, just over two tenths quicker than Kimi Antonelli, who finished second with a 1:19.943. Antonelli’s teammate George Russell was third with a 1:20.049.
SATURDAY
The first pole position of the 2026 season was claimed by George Russell. The Briton was more than two-tenths faster than runner-up and Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. Third place went to Isack Hadjar of Red Bull Racing, the Frenchman finishing seven-tenths behind Russell.
The new era of Formula 1 officially began with this qualifying session, and it proved to be an exciting one, featuring the official debuts of teams such as Cadillac F1 Team and Audi F1 Team, with the latter even fighting for a place in Q3. Gabriel Bortoleto managed to reach the final shootout, qualifying tenth, while Nico Hülkenberg set the eleventh-fastest time.
SUNDAY
George Russell claimed victory at the Australian Grand Prix, with celebrations at Mercedes made complete by Kimi Antonelli finishing second. Charles Leclerc secured the first podium of the year for Ferrari by finishing third.
A spectacular start to the race immediately provided fans with excitement as the new generation of Formula 1 cars made their competitive debut. Several Virtual Safety Car periods followed in quick succession, prompting Mercedes to pit their drivers relatively early. Both switched from the medium compound to the hard tire to execute a one-stop strategy, a move that ultimately paid off for Russell and Antonelli.
Overtaking maneuvers throughout the field turned the race into a true spectacle. However, there was disappointment for the Australian home crowd as Oscar Piastri crashed on his way to the grid and was unable to start his home race. His teammate and reigning World Champion, Lando Norris, finished fifth following a two-stop strategy.
Norris managed to hold off four-time World Champion Max Verstappen, leaving the Dutchman to finish sixth after starting from 20th on the grid.
While Norris and Verstappen both opted for two stops, the top four finishers all committed to a one-stop strategy. Russell, Antonelli, and Leclerc stood on the podium, while Lewis Hamilton finished just outside the top three in fourth. Together with Leclerc, he ensured that Ferrari now sits second in the Constructors’ Championship.
The last Mercedes one-two in Melbourne came in 2019 when Valtteri Bottas won ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Excerpts and media courtesy of Pirelli S.p.A. and the official Formula 1 team press offices. All images are provided via Getty Images through the respective team media platforms and are credited to their rightful copyright holders. Used for editorial purposes only. Not for sale.
RESULT – 2026 Australian Grand Prix - Top Ten
Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne
| Pos | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 7 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
