Max Verstappen finished the first race of the 2026 season in sixth place. The four-time world champion started the Grand Prix at the back of the field, but was soon able to climb into the top ten. A battle with Lando Norris, among others, followed, although both the Mercedes and Ferraris – the eventual top four in Melbourne – were a bit too strong. Nevertheless, Verstappen is not worried: ‘Step by step we can become more competitive’.
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Max Verstappen drove an impressive recovery race during the opening race. The Dutchman was forced to start in twentieth place after his crash in qualifying on Saturday in Melbourne, but finished the race in the top six. It earned him the first ‘Driver of the Day’ title of the new season.
“It was okay,” Verstappen summarized his race for F1TV. “We had a bit more pace than the other teams in the midfield. So it was a matter of getting past those cars as quickly as possible. That was successful. I learned a lot, especially from the battles.” Verstappen fought several times with Lando Norris, his 2025 title rival, for a spot in the top five. “That was a positive aspect of this weekend. I often drove alone on the track. The hard tires didn’t work for us today. We had a lot of degradation and a lot of graining. Because of that, I had to make a pit stop twice.”
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No worries about Mercedes yet
Verstappen eventually crossed the finish line more than 54 seconds behind winner George Russell. “My tires went off way too quickly,” said the four-time world champion, who is not yet too worried about the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari. “I could worry about it, but I don’t. We are working together as a team to bridge the gap, and step by step we can become more competitive.”
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Read everything about the Australian GP here
