The Australian Grand Prix not only marked the beginning of the 2026 F1 season, but it also introduced Formula 1’s new technical era. George Russell secured a notable victory for Mercedes, leading a 1-2 finish alongside his teammate, Kimi Antonelli, after successfully executing a bold one-stop strategy. The Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, followed in third and fourth, having lost the lead to Mercedes during a series of Virtual Safety Car periods. The race was marked by significant drama, most notably a pre-race crash by the Australian native and local favorite, Oscar Piastri, and a technical failure for Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg. The events that have unfolded in this thrilling season opener definitely set the stage for an exciting 2026 season.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:23:06.801 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +2.974 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +15.519 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +16.144 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +51.741 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +54.617 |
| 7 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1 Lap |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1 Lap |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1 Lap |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1 Lap |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1 Lap |
| 12 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +1 Lap |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1 Lap |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +2 Laps |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2 Laps |
| 16 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +2 Laps |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +15 Laps |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | DNF |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | DNF |
| 20 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | DNF |
| 21 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | DNS |
| 22 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | DNS |
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