2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix Results: Verstappen Mounts An Epic Comeback, But Mercedes Proves Unstoppable

The first round of the 2026 F1 season was held in Melbourne today, and the Australian Grand Prix brought its fair share of shocks and surprises.

As expected, Mercedes delivered a commanding performance under the new regulations. George Russell claimed pole position and converted it into a lights-to-flag victory, leading his teammate Kimi Antonelli to an impressive 1-2 finish for the Silver Arrows.

Russell crossed the line in 1:23:06.801 after 58 laps, with Antonelli just 2.974 seconds behind, showcasing Mercedes' superior pace in the season opener. However, the race featured an intense early battle, as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snatched the lead at the start into Turn 1, pressuring Russell as they repeatedly swapped positions in the fight for first. 

A Virtual Safety Car proved beneficial to Mercedes, particularly as Ferrari decided against pitting Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. With that, Russell and Antonelli regained control, pulling away decisively and leaving the Italian team unable to close the gap. 

Ultimately, Leclerc held on for third (+15.519s), while his teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fourth (+16.144s), marking a solid start for the Ferrari pairing. Lando Norris took fifth for McLaren (+51.741s), ahead of Max Verstappen in sixth (+54.617s), who recovered from a qualifying setback that saw him start from 20th.

As expected, Aston Martin didn't finish the race. Neither Nico Hulkenberg nor Oscar Piastri started the race (the latter crashed on his way to the grid, a devastating moment for the Australian McLaren driver). New team, Cadillac, also failed to make much of an impact.

There was disappointment for Isack Hadjar, who had to retire from fifth place after a strong qualifying session that saw him start in third.

Both the drivers and fans have voiced complaints about the new regulations and what they meant for the racing seen on track, but there were considerably more overtakes than last year's Australian Grand Prix, and the race was, in the first half at least, hugely exciting. 

Somewhat worryingly, there was a gap of over 51.7 seconds from P1 to P5, while everyone was lapped from P7 and below. As of now, it seems Mercedes will dominate, with Ferrari and Red Bull nipping at their heels...