George Russell wins the 2026 Australian Grand Prix as Mercedes secure a dominant 1–2 finish with Kimi Antonelli second. Charles Leclerc completes the podium while Max Verstappen charges from last to sixth.
F1 Australian GP: George Russell Wins 2026 Season Opener as Mercedes Secure 1–2 Finish Ahead of Ferraris | AFP
Pre-season favourites Mercedes have proven they have mastered the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations, securing a 1–2 finish in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. George Russell takes the victory at Albert Park, with team-mate Kimi Antonelli finishing second.
The win marks Russell’s first-ever victory at the Australian Grand Prix and the perfect start to the new era for Mercedes. He finished third on podium here last year. "I love this car," said the Britton on the team radio after catching the chequered flag.
Ferrari complete the podium, with Charles Leclerc finishing third and Lewis Hamilton in fourth, meaning the seven-time world champion’s podium drought continues after ending the 2025 season without a win or podium.
One of the most beautiful stories of the race is Max Verstappen, who charges through the field to finish sixth after starting from the back of the grid following his qualifying crash. He earned the driver of the day honour. Lando Norris finishes fifth.
GEORGE RUSSELL WINS IN MELBOURNE! 🏆👏
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 8, 2026
An incredibly strong drive from the Mercedes driver to lead home a 1-2 for the team 🤩#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/8rHtSsFREe
It’s heartbreak for the home fans as Oscar Piastri crashes on the out lap and fails to start the race, with McLaren saying they will investigate the issue after the race.
The race started with a lot of early drama, given the home hero's elimination and cars facing reliability issues. However, biggest shock came when Ferrari overtook Mercedes, with both Leclerc and Hamilton securing 1-2 respectively ahead of Russell and Antonelli.
They remained in the lead for around 11 of 58-lap race. But after the pit stop, changing medium to hard, the Mercedes ace Russell got his pole back overtaking Hamilton who was still running on the medium. Antonelli followed the same path.
Meanwhile, the one-stop strategy proved “viable,” just as Russell reported on team radio earlier in the race, and it worked perfectly for the Brackley-based team, securing a commanding opening victory in the new Formula 1 era.
| Pos | Driver | Interval | Best Time | Tyre | Laps | Pit Stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | — | 1:23.351 | H | 46 | 1 |
| 2 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | +2.974 | 1:22.653 | H | 46 | 1 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | +12.545 | 1:23.317 | H | 33 | 1 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | +0.625 | 1:22.637 | H | 30 | 1 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | +35.597 | 1:23.046 | M | 24 | 2 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | +2.876 | 1:23.533 | H | 17 | 2 |
| 7 | Oliver Bearman | +33.509 | 1:26.649 | H | 39 | 1 |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | +7.223 | 1:24.689 | H | 39 | 1 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | +0.959 | 1:24.821 | H | 24 | 2 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | +16.252 | 1:24.837 | H | 46 | 1 |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | +0.823 | 1:24.573 | H | 46 | 1 |
| 12 | Alex Albon | +26.225 | 1:26.268 | S | 24 | 2 |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | +1.098 | 1:26.317 | S | 24 | 2 |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto | +37.631 | 1:23.621 | S | 10 | 2 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | +28.399 | 1:24.823 | S | 11 | 3 |
| 16 | Sergio Pérez | +55.787 | 1:28.957 | S | 12 | 2 |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | +12 L | 1:25.919 | S | 4 | 4 |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | +22 L | 1:28.082 | S | 10 | 2 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | +6 L | 1:31.330 | H | 15 | 1 |
| 20 | Isack Hadjar | +5 L | 1:25.363 | M | 10 | 0 |
| 21 | Oscar Piastri | DNF | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Nico Hulkenberg | DNS | — | H | 0 | 0 |
More to follow…
