F1 Australian Grand Prix FP2 Report: Oscar Piastri Fastest as Mercedes and Ferrari Stay in the Fight

After a dramatic first practice session, home hero Oscar Piastri finished on top of the timesheets in FP2 of the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on Friday.

The McLaren driver clocked 1:19.729 on the soft tyres, finishing ahead of the Mercedes pair of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

Ferrari, who wrapped up FP1 with a 1–2 finish, also looked strong for most of the session and were involved in a back-and-forth battle with Mercedes and McLaren for the top. However, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc eventually finished fourth and fifth respectively.

FP2 began kicked off with a minor hiccup for George Russell, who made contact with Arvid Lindblad’s car in the pit lane and damaged his front wing, though he was able to continue running.

The first driver to set the benchmark was Lewis Hamilton, who posted 1:20.903 on hard tyres, with Russell slotting in just 0.081 seconds behind his teammate.

Soon after, Kimi Antonelli set 1:20.801, going about a tenth quicker than Hamilton. However, he was soon surpassed by Piastri, who made a comeback after suffering a power issue in FP1 and finishing sixth fastest in first session. The Australian went quickest with 1:20.638 on hard tyres, 0.163 seconds clear of Antonelli.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso finally got to drive the Aston Martin at Albert Park after the team had to skip FP1 due to a serious battery issue even before the session began.

Midway through the session, Russell bolted on the soft tyres, stopping the clock at 1:20.049, almost six tenths quicker than Piastri and briefly putting Mercedes in a 1–2 position.

Later, Antonelli improved further, setting 1:19.943, becoming the first driver to break the 1:20 barrier, while Russell ran wide into the gravel at Turn 3 but managed to continue without any major issues.

Ferrari soon responded as Charles Leclerc moved into third place, around four tenths slower than Antonelli’s benchmark. Lewis Hamilton then went quicker than his teammate to move into third, just 0.176 seconds behind Antonelli. With about 25 minutes remaining, Hamilton was running third behind Antonelli and Russell, ahead of Leclerc.

FP2 concludes in Australia ✔️

Oscar Piastri sets the fastest time at his home circuit to round out Friday’s practice running 👊#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/hV5iytF4AR

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 6, 2026

Max Verstappen, who had an impressive FP1 battling Leclerc for the lead, was relatively off the pace in the second session. The Red Bull driver was eighth fastest with a 1:21.080 midway.

Oscar Piastri Goes Ahead Of Mercedes Duo at Australian Grand Prix FP2

Piastri later returned to the top of the timesheets, setting 1:19.729, around two tenths clear of Antonelli, as the session moved into its final phase.

Mercedes then began their race simulations, with both Russell and Antonelli consistently lapping in the 1:23.5 range on hard tyres, showing strong long-run pace.

Meanwhile, the F1 newcomers Cadillac continued to face problems. Sergio Perez came to a halt near Turn 12, requiring assistance from marshals and had to end his session right there. 

At the end of the session, Oscar Piastri finished fastest for the Australian Grand Prix FP2, while his teammate Lando Norris, who had retired early in FP1 due to gearbox issues, ended the second session seventh fastest.

Australian Grand Prix 2026 FP2 Results: 

Also Read: F1 Australian Grand Prix FP1 Report: Charles Leclerc Fastest as Ferrari, Red Bull Show Early Pace and McLaren Struggle