Mercedes delivered on its status as pre-season favorite by dominating qualifying for Formula 1’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
George Russell fronted Kimi Antonelli as the Silver Arrows flexed their muscles around Albert Park on Saturday afternoon, the first qualifying session featuring Formula 1’s new ruleset.
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Russell’s time of 1:18.518s left him 0.293s clear of teammate Antonelli, who recovered from a heavy crash in final practice, as well as an off on his first push lap in the pole shootout.
Russell’s advantage over the fastest non-Mercedes driver, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, was 0.785s slower than the Briton.
“We knew there was a lot of potential in the car but until you get to the first Saturday you never know,” Russell said.
Hadjar, Ferrari, and McLaren were covered by less than two tenths of a second in a close battle for honors behind the lead Mercedes pair.
Isack Hadjar, George Russell, and Kimi Antonelli. Rudy Carezzevoli – Getty Images
Charles Leclerc was fourth, ahead of home hero Oscar Piastri, with reigning champion Lando Norris sixth, and Lewis Hamilton seventh.
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Racing Bulls emerged as the standout midfield team, with Liam Lawson eighth, and the grid’s only rookie Arvid Lindblad ninth.
Verstappen suffers early drama
One name absent from the fight for pole position was Max Verstappen.
Verstappen is set to begin his 2026 campaign from a lowly 20th on the grid after a rare early exit from qualifying.
Max Verstappen. getty images – Getty Images
Verstappen was on his first flying lap in Q1 when the rears of his Red Bull-Ford-powered RB22 locked on the approach to Turn 1, sending the four-time world champion spinning across the gravel and into the barriers.
Verstappen had precautionary X-rays on his hand but was cleared of any injury.
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“I just hit the pedal and the whole rear axle just completely locked, which is, especially with these Formula 1 cars, very weird,” Verstappen said. “I mean, I’ve never experienced that in my whole life.”
Verstappen has been critical of the new-spec cars, with drivers having to back off before the end of some straights, owing to running out of battery power.
“I mean, I’m definitely not having fun at all with these cars,” Verstappen said. “I mean, you can make up your mind, but I think if you look at the onboard, you see enough, right?
“The formula is just not correct, and that is something that is a bit harder to change, but I think we need to.”
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Bittersweet Audi makes top 10 on debut
Audi secured a berth inside the top 10 on its full-scale debut as a manufacturer team—though it was slightly bittersweet.
While not a start-up outfit, given it has spent the last few years gradually taking over Sauber, it is Audi’s first foray into Formula 1, and with its own power unit.
Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi F1. PAUL CROCK – Getty Images
The marque made it through to Q3 courtesy of sophomore Gabriel Bortoleto, having been in the thick of the midfield fight throughout practice.
However, Bortoleto lost power at pit entry at the end of Q2, meaning he was unable to actually take part in Q3, and will start from 10th as a consequence.
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Veteran Nico Hulkenberg was 11th in the sister Audi R26, narrowly eclipsing the Haas pair of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
Alpine has spent much of the weekend towards the tail-end of the midfield and occupied that spot, taking 14th and 16th courtesy of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, who bookended Williams’ Alex Albon.
Cadillac slowest but competent
Cadillac was the slowest team during qualifying—an outcome the team firmly expected on its debut—but did not disgrace itself during the 18-minute Q1 session.
Sergio Perez led Valtteri Bottas to take 18th position, with Bottas 19th, and the Mexican’s time was 3.1 seconds slower than the best effort in Q1 set by Russell.
Sergio Perez. SOPA Images – Getty Images
Bottas was a further eight-tenths off the pace, but considering Cadillac’s nature as a start-up operation, and several small niggles through practice, it was a solid display.
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Cadillac’s final positions were smoothed by Verstappen’s early exit, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll failed to appear during qualifying due to technical issues.
The sister Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso did at least make it on track in qualifying, but the Spaniard could muster only 17th place, 2.4 seconds off the pace.
