The 2026 Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne with George Russell on pole. The Mercedes driver set the fastest time in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix with a 1:18.518, claiming the eighth pole of his career and confirming pre-race predictions.
Mercedes also secured the front row with their second car, driven by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who delivered an excellent qualifying performance. However, his position is under review: the Italian driver could face a penalty for a possible “unsafe condition,” which might alter the starting grid.
Behind the two Mercedes cars, Isack Hadjar will start third, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth. The third row is occupied by the two McLaren cars, while Lewis Hamilton lines up seventh, ahead of Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad, and Gabriel Bortoleto.
Qualifying proved much more challenging for Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver crashed into the wall midway through Q1 and could not set a timed lap. He will start from twentieth position, ahead of only Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz, who did not participate in qualifying due to reliability issues with their cars.
Provisional starting grid for the 2026 Australian GP
The first race of the 2026 season will start tomorrow morning, March 8, in Melbourne, with the lights going out at 5:00 CET.
Why call it a provisional grid? Because team engineers may still detect issues with their cars before the race. If a component subject to regulatory limits needs to be replaced, the FIA will demote the driver in question by several positions on the grid.
P.S.: On our website, you can always find the updated standings at the end of each session.
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