George Russell resisted an early challenge from Charles Leclerc to open the 2026 Formula 1 season with victory in the Australian Grand Prix, heading a Mercedes 1-2.
The Brit and teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli fell back at the start, as Leclerc stormed through to lead, and provided a stern test for the Silver Arrows along with Lewis Hamilton, but a strategic error amid a Virtual Safety Car saw the Ferrari challenge fall away.
Leclerc held off a late Hamilton charge to complete the podium, with Lando Norris fifth, and Max Verstappen sixth, despite starting in 20th place.
Arvid Lindblad, becoming the fourth-youngest debutant in F1 history, completed a stupendous weekend’s work with eighth place.
Drama began before the race did, as on his installation lap, home favourite Oscar Piastri crashed at Turn 4, resulting in a non-race start.
Leclerc rockets into the lead to set up chaotic early battle
Before the cars lined up on the grid, Russell complained of his battery not being sufficiently topped-up, putting him at risk of being overtaken on the opening lap. It was far worse at Audi, however, as Nico Hulkenberg suffered problems on the grid, and despite trying to start from the pit lane, the German’s race was, like Piastri’s, over before it began.
At the start, Russell squirrled away, and with Antonelli experiencing low battery, Hadjar got between both of them, looking favourite to get into the lead.
But, as was the case in Bahrain testing, Ferrari rocketed forth, and Leclerc stormed into Turn 1 in the lead.
Hamilton got past Norris, but the biggest winner of Lap 1 was Lindblad, who swept past Hadjar for third at Turn 11. Hamilton swiftly dispatched him, but nevertheless, a sensational start for the rookie.
Antonelli dropped several places, leaving him in the clutches of the top of the midfield.
Russell and Leclerc exchanged places on Lap 2, with the Ferrari retaking the lead, as Alonso sensationally rose to 10th place for a brief time.
In these chaotic times of F1, a semblance of equilibrium reigned as the order began to straighten out, with the leading quartet pulling away.
By Lap 7, Leclerc and Russell were tethered to each other, with Hamilton keeping a watching brief, two seconds behind. Antonelli was now up to fourth, a further four seconds behind, with Lindblad falling behind Hadjar.
A lap later, Russell finally made it into the lead, taking Leclerc at Turn 3, but Leclerc bided his time and with a bit of super clipping, drove around Russell at Turn 11.
The pair just would not let up, with Russell diving down the inside of Leclerc at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 9, but locked up, went wide, and Leclerc went around him again. All the while, Hamilton got in on the act and looked to take his former teammate, as well as his current one.
Antonelli had now caught up and Hamilton was well within his eyeline, as Verstappen was now ninth, with Alonso’s brief joy dissipated, as he dropped down to 16th place.
Hadjar may have lasted longer than he did last year, but it was only by 12 laps, as his Red Bull ground to a halt prior to Turn 11. The Virtual Safety Car was called, with Norris one of the big hitters to pit.
The Mercedes duo did so a lap later, but neither Ferrari did. “At least one of us should’ve come in,” Hamilton exclaimed, as the Scuderia’s crew readied itself, but both cars opted to stay out, knowing the VSC would soon cease.
It did, and on Lap 15, it was green again. Leclerc led with Hamilton around two seconds behind, with Russell already within 10 seconds in third. Antonelli dispatched Lindblad for fourth at Turn 1 on the next lap.
No surrender by Aston as Alonso retires from F1 Australian GP…and then rejoins
Predictably, Alonso’s race was short, as the Aston Martin faltered, being brought in at the end of Lap 15.
Just as predictable, the VSC returned, as Valtteri Bottas’ F1 return came to an end on Lap 19, his Cadillac stopping on the grass by the pit lane entry.
More frantic pitting, with Lindblad followed in by Verstappen and Oliver Bearman. Racing quickly resumed, with Ferrari continuing to stay out.
Verstappen got right on Lindblad’s tail into Turn 1, but the 18-year-old would not be cowed, shutting the door and remaining ahead until Turn 11, where the Dutchman got ahead.
In the midfield, there was a fair share of action, too, as Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon enjoyed an ongoing ding-dong for 10th place, the Alpine and Haas touching, with the former coming out on top. But the action placed both under investigation.
Leclerc pitted on Lap 26. Its target lap, perhaps, but as the Hards were bolted on, the Monegasque must have wondered what position he would have been in had he pitted under the first VSC. His position in reality, however, was now fourth, with Hamilton going longer, and was now the only man on track who had not yet pitted.
Nobody could fault the endeavour of Aston Martin, as some work on Alonso’s car would see the Spaniard be sent back out and back in the race.
Russell asserts his authority as Lindblad makes his presence known
With Russell taking Hamilton down the inside at Turn 11, the Ferrari boxed at the end of Lap 28, as Russell indicated a one-stop would be “viable,” which was not the Silver Arrows’ plan.
The Brit led by 6.3s from Antonelli on Lap 31, with Leclerc 14.3s behind. Norris was now fifth, with Verstappen sixth, and Lindblad holding seventh.
Cadillac’s interest in the race remained, but Sergio Perez’s bargeboard did not. The flailing piece of bodywork landed on the fast part of the circuit before Turn 11, and a brief VSC was called as marshals bravely hopped onto the track to carry it away.
Alonso’s comeback lasted untl Lap 37, when, in a need to preserve components on the car, Aston Martin pulled him in for a second and final time.
Bearman replaced Ocon in the battle against Gasly, the Haas diving past at Turn 14 for eighth.
He was not done there, beginning an all-British scrap with Lindblad for seventh. Bearman got ahead at Turn 1, but the battle resumed at Turn 11, with Lindblad just unable to find a way back ahead of his countryman.
Wth 14 laps to go, Russell continued to lead, by 6.4s from Antonelli, with Leclerc third and Hamilton fourth, setting the fastest lap of the race so far.
The Blitz-like spirit still hadn’t deserted Aston Martin, as some adjustments to the second car saw Lance Stroll returned to the track, albeit 12 laps down.
Hamilton bore down on Leclerc as the laps ticked away, as Russell could coast to the line to open 2026 with victory, followed by Antonelli.
Leclerc held off Hamilton to complete the podium, as Norris withheld Verstappen’s challenge for sixth. Bearman once again showed his growing stature in F1 with seventh, with Lindblad taking a superb eighth on his debut.
Another great story was Audi, with Gabriel Bortoleto securing debut points for the team in ninth, with Gasly rounding up the top 10.
READ MORE – F1 2026 Australian Grand Prix – Race Results
Discussion about this post