Russell leads a Mercedes one-two finish. Relive the Australian F1 Grand Prix with live text commentary.

In qualifying, Mercedes Benz Mercedes confirmed its dominance, crushing the competition by several tenths of a second. Despite an incident during the final free practice session, Kimi Antonelli snatched second place behind his teammate, George Russell, who took pole position. The Silver Arrows' stranglehold has a 2016 feel to it… With a 0,785-second lead over Isack Hadjar (the first non-Mercedes driver), George Russell created a gap with the second-placed manufacturer that hadn't been seen in qualifying for the first Grand Prix of the season since then.

Announced as the second force on the board, the Classic Ferrari for sale They, for their part, displayed a certain disappointment. Even incomprehension among Lewis Hamilton...questioning the Brackley engine... Is the seven-time world champion reigniting the controversy surrounding the compression ratio of his former team's engine?

In the rest of the peloton, Max Verstappen He caused general astonishment, crashing into the barriers at the first corner after a rear axle lock-up. A far from ideal start for the Dutchman, who will start from the back of the grid (20th) while his teammate Isack Hadjar, to his great surprise, climbed to third place.

Finally, against all odds, the two pilots Aston Martin will be present on the starting grid. Despite numerous engine problems, Fernando Alonso managed to set a time in Q1. On the other side of the garage, Lance stroll has for its part had to be rescued by the FIA, outside the 107% of the reference time.

As the paddock holds its breath before the first start of the year, everything is still to play for from the first corner of Albert Park, in this new regulatory era where reliability remains the major unknown.

ALSO READ > In qualifying in Melbourne, Mercedes achieved a feat not seen for 10 years

F1 – Australian Grand Prix

Relive the race live with commentary

6h30 - 👋 Thank you all for following us throughout the weekend! The winner's statement and other driver reactions will be available shortly on AUTOhebdo.fr. See you next time! Formula 1 Next week, we'll be in China!

6h29 - With his 6th victory, George Russell takes the lead in a championship with 23 rounds still to go, where everything remains to be played.

58 / 58 - 📊 Here is the final classification of this Grand Prix at Albert Park!

58 / 58 -  Ferrari's first podium of the season with Charles Leclerc !

58 / 58 - 🏁 Russell wins and Mercedes takes a one-two finish! 🏁

58 / 58 - Lewis Hamilton is less than a second behind Charles Leclerc with only one lap left to attempt an overtake.

58 / 58 - 📊 The Grand Prix is ​​almost over, here's the current gap:

57 / 58 - Verstappen still unable to overtake Norristhe pilot's rhythm Red Bull step back.

55 / 58 - Ferrari's excellent start is not enough… Leclerc and Hamilton are stuck in third and fourth positions against the pace of the Mercedes drivers.

55 / 58 - 📊 A Mercedes one-two finish is starting to look more likely with four laps to go:

54 / 58 - On medium tires, Norris holds his own against Verstappen, who was the fastest on this lap.

52 / 58 - Lewis Hamilton is being encouraged by his interim engineer. The Briton is still 3 seconds behind Charles Leclerc.

52 / 58 - 📊 The gaps stabilize with 8 laps to go:

51 / 58 - Lewis Hamilton continues to close the gap on Charles Leclerc. He is now only three seconds behind the Monegasque driver. Could a first podium finish in Ferrari be on the cards for the Briton?

50 / 58 - Lance Stroll's car has returned to the garage so that Aston Martin can make adjustments to his AMR26, but he is now heading to the Australian Grand Prix.

48 / 58 - 📊 Current gaps with 11 laps to go:

46 / 58 - Lewis Hamilton could well gain the upper hand over his teammate Charles Leclerc as he sets better lap times than the Ferrari in third position.

45 / 58 - Norris may start to worry about Max Verstappen, who is closing the gap with his McLaren... ️ The Dutchman takes the lap record in 1:22.453.

42 / 58 - 📊 The standings after 42 laps:

41 / 58 - Gabriel Bortoleto remains unflappable in ninth position. What a start for Audi!

41/58 Bearman and Lindbad are battling! The pilot Haas takes seventh position.

40/58 – ⏱️ Lewis Hamilton snatches the lap record from his teammate with a time of 1:22.536.

39 / 58 - ⏱️ The two SF-26s are picking up the pace again! Leclerc sets the lap record with a time of 1:22.579.

38 / 58 - 📊The current gaps with 21 laps remaining in the Australian GP:

38 / 58 - The gap is widening at the front. Leclerc is sixteen seconds behind Russell in the lead.

37/58 – ❌ Aston Martin recalls Fernando Alonso to the pits. The Spaniard's withdrawal from the Australian Grand Prix is ​​final, in order to preserve the components.

36 / 58 - Charles Leclerc has less pace than the W17s, despite having tires that are 13 laps fresher…

35 / 58 - 📊 The standings after the end of VSC:

34/58 – 🟡 Brief third virtual safety car! Debris from Sergio Pérez's car litters the track.

33 / 58 - Charles Leclerc is gaining tenths of a second. He is now only seven and a few seconds behind Kimi Antonelli in second position.

33 / 58 - Max Verstappen continues his climb up the rankings, with Lando Norris' fifth position in his sights!

32 / 58 - 📊 The order of the race:

32 / 58 - Charles Leclerc is only very slowly catching up to the Mercedes…

31 / 58 - ⚠️ Or with Under investigation for excessively slow driving. The matter will be examined after the race.

30/58 – ⏱️ Antonelli sets the fastest time at 1:22.889 

29 / 58 - Will Ferrari's strategy be the right one? The hard tire looks solid!

29 / 58 - 📊 The pilots' standings:

27 / 58 - 🚨 Aston Martin needs to gather data and decides to bring Fernando back to the garage to make some adjustments to his AMR26. He has now resumed racing at the Australian Grand Prix.

27 / 58 - Leclerc emerges in fourth position behind Kimi Antonelli. The Italian will have to play bodyguard for his teammate George Russell.

26 / 58 - Race leader Charles Leclerc pits. An effective stop for Ferrari, although still more costly than under the safety car period.

25 / 58 - 💭 After his withdrawal, Piastres He speaks, looking grim. It's rather disappointing. I'm trying to understand what really happened to get a better idea. For my part, I didn't expect the car to react like that. It's a blow for the fans, I'm sorry for them. I would have liked to have been able to show what I could do. »

24 / 58 - 📊 The state of the grid after 24 laps:

23 / 58 - George Russell is closing the gap to Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari. Will the Briton's tires hold up? We'll have to wait and see if the Scuderia's strategy pays off!

22 / 58 - Leclerc is approaching the backmarkers who will have to move aside to let the first single-seaters pass.

22/58 – 🇫🇷  Pierre Gasly prevailed over Esteban Ocon after a very close battle. The driver Alpine steals tenth place from his rival.  

21/58 – 📊 There's movement in the peloton:

20 / 58 - Verstappen easily overtakes Lindblad.

20/58 – 🟢 We're back underway. End of VSC. The Ferraris have not returned to the pits.

20 / 58 - The pit lane entrance is blocked because of the Cadillac of Bottas is immobilized nearby!! The Ferraris will not be able to return to the pits.

19 / 58 - Ferraris must take advantage of this new VSC to pit.

18/58 – ❌ Bottas is immobilized! Another virtual neutralization.

18/58 – 🇫🇷 The French drivers are battling it out: Ocon and Gasly are fighting for tenth position

17 / 58 - Arvid Lindblad is being chased by Max Verstappen! The Dutchman has overtaking mode.

17 / 58 - Sergio Pérez's Cadillac is fourteenth! What a great start for the eleventh-placed team on the grid!

16/58 – The Mercedes engine is formidable, Kimi Antonelli takes the lead over Arvid Lindblad. The Italian is fourth.

15 / 58 - 📊The order of the peloton after 15 laps:

15/58 – ❌ Fernando Alonso retires even earlier than expected… his teammate Lance Stroll continues

14/58 – The two SF-26s are leading the race

14/58 – 🟢 And we're off again. The Mercedes are on hard tires, the Ferraris haven't stopped.

14 / 58 - Ferrari was waiting for a driver… Was there a communication problem on the Maranello side?

13/58 –📻 Lewis Hamilton complains about Ferrari's strategy! The Briton expresses his dissatisfaction on the radio.

13 / 58 - Charles Leclerc had a comfortable lead over George Russell before the safety car period. Ferrari stayed out on track while the Mercedes cars pitted.

12/58 –📊The ranking under neutralization:

12/58 – 🟡 The virtual safety car is deployed but the leaders remain on track.

11/58 – 🚨Isack Hadjar's engine has failed!! car smoke. Tough blow for the Frenchman

11/58 – Verstappen successfully attacked Pierre Gasly. 20^e Initially, the Dutchman is now 9^e A comeback that only he knows how to pull off.

11/58 – 🇫🇷 On the French side, Isack Hadjar lost positions at the start. The Parisian is fifth.

10/58 – 📊 Standings after 10 rounds:

9/58 – George Russell locks up his wheel! The Briton avoids a major mishap but concedes a safety margin to Charles Leclerc. Behind him, Hamilton waits in ambush.

8/58 – Charles Leclerc is tenacious! The Ferrari has regained control once again.

8/58 – Russell retakes the lead. His high energy expenditure is taking its toll on Charles Leclerc.

7 / 58 - The Mercedes driver is complaining about Leclerc's defensive maneuvers. For now, the Monegasque is holding firm against Russell's pressure.

6 / 58 - George Russell is not giving up and is making himself threatening on the leading Ferrari.

6/58 – Relive Charles Leclerc's incredible flight: 

WHAT A START FOR THE FERRARIS 😱😱

Charles Leclerc takes the lead in the race!
The Grand Prix continues on CANAL+ 🤩#F1 pic.twitter.com/XmHhnySfH4

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 8, 2026

5/58 – 📊 Standings after 5 rounds:

4/58 – The two Ferraris are working together and Lewis Hamilton joins the two leading drivers…

3/58 – Charles Leclerc goes back around the outside. The Monegasque driver had saved his battery for his attack.

2/58 – ⏱️ 1:24.626. Lap record for Lewis Hamilton.

2 / 58 - It's no use, George Russell's W17 retakes the lead from Charles Leclerc's SF-26

2 / 58 - Overtaking is now permitted. Russell will go after the new Grand Prix leader.

1/58 – Ferraris dominate!! Lewis Hamilton moves up from seventh to third place.

1/58 – Charles Leclerc takes the lead right from the start!!! The turbo designed by Ferrari is a formidable weapon!!

1/58 – 🟢It's started!! The Australian Grand Prix is ​​underway, George Russell leads the start of this new regulatory era.

5h00 - The formation lap begins in Melbourne! The 21 Formula 1 drivers are finally getting ready to start the first Grand Prix of the season after many long months of waiting.

4h55 - 🔆While last year the capricious weather in the State of Victoria played tricks on the Grand Prix, this time the single-seaters will take the start under the blazing sun of Melbourne: 24°C in the air and 38°C on the track.

4h52 - However, this needs to be qualified! Because the last time Max Verstappen started from the back of the grid (20th) was at the 2021 Russian GP, ​​where he finished on the second step of the podium.

4h50 - Max Verstappen crashed out in the opening moments of Q1 on Saturday. While the Dutchman has made several unexpected comebacks, the furthest grid victory in Melbourne belongs to David Coulthard (McLaren), who won from P11 in 2003. The statistics are not in Verstappen's favor, as he will start twentieth on the grid…

4h47 - 💭 Before the start, George Russell is wary of a potential comeback from the Ferrari drivers, who are only a few places behind him and his teammate. With a smaller turbo, the SF-26's engine could be a formidable weapon when the lights go out!

4h45 - Among manufacturers, McLaren holds the record with 12 victories at the Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne and Adelaide), one more than Ferrari. At Albert Park, however, Ferrari dominates with 10 wins.

4h43 - Michael Schumacher He remains the most successful driver, with four victories, one more than Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel21 other drivers have won the event, including reigning world champion Lando Norris in 2025. This round held in the southern hemisphere is one of the races with the highest number of different winners.

4h40 - One anecdote, however, might infuriate fans of the papaya-clad driver… Since 2022, the winner of the Australian Grand Prix has withdrawn from the race the following year. Will this curse finally end with the new regulations?

4h37 - Last year, Lando Norris took the victory in Australia before clinching his first title in the premier class. Starting from sixth position, will the world champion be able to climb through the field and repeat his feat?

4h35 - The numbers are in George Russell's favor. On the Australian circuit, the pole-sitter wins almost half the time (42,86%)!

4h33 - Starting second on the grid, Kimi Antonelli would become the second youngest winner in F1 history behind Max Verstappen if he wins the race.

4h30 - The only rookie this season, Arvid Lindblad, put in a strong performance in qualifying. The British driver will start from ninth position.

4h25 - No Australian has ever won the Grand Prix in front of his home crowd. Oscar Piastri will not be able to reverse this trend this weekend…

UNBELIEVABLE! PIASTRI CRASHED INTO THE WALL BEFORE THE START 🤯

The Australian made a mistake on the formation lap, it's already over for him! ❌

He was supposed to start 5th at home, this first Grand Prix of 2026 is already crazy! #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/YFRcsd6ipv

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 8, 2026

4:23 AM – 💥 Disaster for Oscar Piastri. The Australian will not race this weekend. He crashed and lost his front wing, his right tire also exploding after losing control exiting Turn 4 on the formation lap. What a disappointment for the local fans and for the papaya driver!

4h21 - The drivers set off one by one for the grid lap.

4h20 - A year after a nightmarish debut, marked by a premature end before the race even began, Isack Hadjar starts from the second row at the wheel of his RB22. If the Parisian were to clinch victory at the end of the 58 laps, he would join the only driver to have achieved his first win at Albert Park: Eddie Irvine in 1999.

4h17 - Possible strategies for the first round of the season:

4h15 - In Australia, Pirelli brought the C3, C4 and C5 compounds. Here are the tire allocations for all the drivers involved.

4h12 - Albert Park hosts the opening round of F1 for the 24th time!

4h10 - The Australian Grand Prix celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The race will take place for the 29th time in Melbourne, the city that took over from Adelaide in 1996.

4h07 - Since the start of winter testing, Aston Martin has suffered a series of setbacks, and the first race of the season has been no exception. The Green Team isn't even guaranteed to see the checkered flag!

Aston Martin will not be able to complete more than 25 laps during the Australian Grand Prix.

4h05 - With just moments to go before the start of the Grand Prix, here's a reminder of the starting grid:

The starting grid for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix