Watch Australia Qualifying highlights as Russell takes pole

George Russell secured pole position at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes front-row lockout with teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Russell posted a 1m 18.518s lap, 0.293s ahead of Antonelli, whose car was miraculously repaired after a heavy FP3 crash. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar qualified third, followed by Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. The session saw early drama as Max Verstappen crashed in Q1, resulting in a red flag and him starting 20th. This sets the stage for an unpredictable season opener.