The Formula 1 season has truly begun, with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. George Russell has dominantly secured his first victory of 2026, ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli. Max Verstappen is having a fine race. Starting from P20, he is flagged off in fifth. The first points are in. Verstappen is voted ‘Driver of the Day’ by the fans.
Read more Russell lives up to favorite status in Australia: ‘Happy when I crossed the finish line’
Relive the Australian Grand Prix in a nutshell below.
We’re not even underway yet, but the first retirement is already here! Without Oscar Piastri, as the home favorite has just crashed on his way to the grid. The Australian hits the kerbs with cold tires and loses control of his McLaren.
Max Verstappen does start ‘normally’, from P20. The problems with his Red Bull seem resolved after his crash yesterday in Q1 of qualifying. He starts on the hard tires.
FORMATION LAP: All cars have moved off, with the exception of Nico Hülkenberg’s Audi, which is in the garage due to a technical issue and will likely (also) have to miss the race.
LAP 1/58: George Russell doesn’t get away very well from pole and has to relinquish his leading position to Charles Leclerc, who has a dream start. Arvid Lindblad immediately grabs P3 after the start at the expense of Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton moves into P3 after the first corners.
LAP 2/58: George Russell regains the lead, thanks to a better-charged battery compared to Leclerc. This is Formula 1 in the year 2026. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is already running in P15.
LAP 4/58: Russell finds himself in a difficult spot, between the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen continues his advance after a fine overtaking maneuver on Alexander Albon in turn 9 and a bit later on Fernando Alonso as well. Twelfth now.
Trading places
LAP 8/58: It’s a constant swapping of positions between Russell and Leclerc. Who manages the energy most cleverly? Hamilton benefits and is now really waiting in the wings in P3. Meanwhile, Verstappen is already virtually in the points, in P10.
LAP 11/58: Isack Hadjar retires. His engine gives up (video). The first Virtual Safety Car of the 2026 season! Meanwhile, Hadjar’s engine is smoking heavily. This is what they were already afraid of at Red Bull, reliability issues… Many cars have pitted, Verstappen has stayed out and is now running in P6.
LAP 14/58: And we’re racing again, without VSC. Current standings: Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Lindblad, Antonelli, and Verstappen.
Read more No worries yet for Verstappen about gap to Mercedes: ‘Improving step by step’
LAP 15/58: Fernando Alonso drives his Aston Martin into the pits. End of the race for the Spaniard. That comes as no surprise.
LAP 18/58: Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac is in the grass. The Finn is the fifth retirement of the day. Another Virtual Safety Car. Max Verstappen pits for fresh rubber (mediums), as does Arvid Lindblad, who dawdles slightly in front of him. Both Ferraris stay out in 1st and 2nd.
Hamilton in the lead
LAP 25/58: Leclerc comes in for his pit stop and continues on the hard compound. This makes Hamilton the new leader of the race, ahead of Russell and Antonelli. Verstappen is in P6, more than four seconds behind world champion Lando Norris.
LAP 28/58: Russell regains the lead in the race. Hamilton also opts for new tires. The Mercedes cars are now in 1st and 2nd. The margin between Russell and Antonelli is over seven seconds.
LAP 34/58: Virtual Safety Car. There is a piece of a bargeboard on the track, coming from a Cadillac. Meanwhile, Verstappen has closed in on his rival Norris to within half a second. The latter dives into the pits, so Verstappen moves into P5.
LAP 42/58: Verstappen comes in for his second stop and switches to hard tires. He returns to the track behind Norris, in P6. Meanwhile, newcomer Audi, thanks to Gabriel Bortoleto, seems well on its way to its very first World Championship points. Bortoleto is running in P9.
LAP 54/58: Few duels on track. Verstappen has been waiting in the wings behind Norris for a while, but an attack has yet to materialize. Current standings: Russell, Antonelli, Leclerc, Hamilton, Norris, Verstappen. At the back, Lance Stroll brings up the rear for Aston Martin in P17.
LAP 58/58: George Russell is flagged off as the unchallenged winner of the Australian Grand Prix. Teammate Kimi Antonelli finishes second. So, the first one-two for Mercedes is secured. Behind the duo, Charles Leclerc takes third place. Behind them: Hamilton, Verstappen, Bearman, Lindblad, Bortoleto, Gasly.
Max Verstappen will be satisfied with the result: started in P20, finished in P5. He will still be far from satisfied with the new cars, just like most of his colleagues. Only winner Russell has a different opinion: “I like this car, I like this engine.”
Read more Verstappen on effect of new rules: ‘Mario Kart-like things happened’
Retirements: Hülkenberg, Piastri, Hadjar, Bottas, and Alonso.
(This blog is continuously updated during the race)
