F1 Australian GP Qualifying: George Russell Seals Pole as Mercedes Lock Front Row; Max Verstappen Crashes Out in Q1

What a dramatic start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Australian Grand Prix qualifying session saw George Russell securing the pole position for Mercedes ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli after a chaotic and incident-filled afternoon at Albert Park.

The Qualifying started with Russell quickly setting early pace with clocking 1:19.840, living up to hype of being the pre-season favourite after also setting the fastest lap in FP3. 

However, the Q1 soon took a dramatic turn when Max Verstappen crashed heavily at Turn 1. The Red Bull driver locked his rear tyres while braking, spun through the corner and slammed into the barriers. Red flags were immediately deployed. Verstappen climbed out of the car unhurt but was eliminated without setting a lap time.

After the restart, drivers scrambled to secure their spots in Q2. Oscar Piastri briefly went fastest, but Russell soon reclaimed the top spot. Late improvements from several drivers reshuffled the order. The drivers eliminated in Q1 were: Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll.

🔴 RED FLAG 🔴

Max Verstappen CRASHES into the barrier in Q1! 😱#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/La9VX2XVQu

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2026

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, whose car had earlier remained in the garage due to a crash in the FP3, managed to set a late lap to progress to Q2. The second session saw the fight intensify between Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. Early on, Charles Leclerc set the pace, but Mercedes soon asserted control.

Antonelli briefly topped the charts with a 1:19.604, only for Russell to respond with a stunning 1:18.934, the fastest lap of the weekend so far. Rookies also impressed, particularly Arvid Lindblad, who secured a place in Q3 with an impressive lap for Racing Bulls.

However, Gabriel Bortoleto’s Audi stopped near the pit lane exit late in the session, causing delays before the final shootout. Drivers eliminated in Q2 were, Nico Hulkenberg, Oliver Bearman, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, Franco Colapinto. 

Also Read: F1 Australian GP Qualifying Highlights: George Russell Secures Pole, Kimi Antonelli Gets P2

The final shootout started with more drama. Antonelli’s Mercedes left the garage with cooling fans still attached, one of which fell off onto the track. Lando Norris ran over the debris, destroying the fan and triggering a brief red flag.

Once the session resumed, drivers began setting their flying laps. Russell initially set a 1:19.084, while Isack Hadjar impressed by jumping into second place early in the session.

Antonelli then stunned the paddock by going fastest with a 1:18.811, appearing set for pole. But Russell responded immediately with an even quicker 1:18.518, reclaiming the top spot.

In the closing moments, several drivers attempted improvements but none could challenge the Mercedes pair.

George Russell claimed his eighth career pole position, and first at the Australian Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes front-row lockout with Antonelli finishing second. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar delivered a standout performance to take third, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. McLaren locked out the third row with Oscar Piastri fifth and Lando Norris sixth, while Lewis Hamilton finished seventh. Max Verstappen will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid. 

Australian Grand Prix Qualifying Result: 

1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:18.518

2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +0.293

3. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +0.785

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.809

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.862

6. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.957

7. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.960

8. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +14.454

9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +14.936

10. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – 1:20.303

12. Oliver Bearman (Haas) – 1:20.311

13. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 1:20.491

14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 1:20.501

15. Alexander Albon (Williams) – 1:20.941

16. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 1:21.270

17. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

19. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)

20. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

21. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)