What the teams said – Race day in Australia

The 2026 Formula 1 season began with a bang at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where Mercedes delivered a commanding 1-2 finish. George Russell triumphed, navigating a chaotic start that saw him embroiled in a fierce, multi-lap duel for the lead with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. His teammate, rookie Kimi Antonelli, made an impressive recovery from a sluggish start to secure second place, marking a dream beginning for Mercedes in this new era of F1. Ferrari's strategic decisions, opting not to pit under an early Virtual Safety Car, ultimately cost them, with Leclerc finishing third and Lewis Hamilton fourth. McLaren's home hero Oscar Piastri endured a devastating pre-race crash, forcing him to miss the Grand Prix, while Lando Norris salvaged a strong fifth for the team, skillfully defending against a relentless Max Verstappen. Verstappen, starting from P20 after a battery issue, showcased a spectacular recovery drive to finish sixth, as his Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar retired with a power unit failure. Further down the field, Oliver Bearman impressed for Haas, securing a commendable seventh place as the "best of the rest." Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad both celebrated points-scoring debuts, finishing ninth and eighth respectively. Pierre Gasly earned a hard-fought tenth place for Alpine. Meanwhile, Williams, Aston Martin, and Cadillac encountered significant challenges, including reliability woes and performance deficits, with Valtteri Bottas retiring and Fernando Alonso's race also cut short. Pirelli highlighted the success of the one-stop strategy, attributing it to unexpectedly low tyre degradation.