Lewis Hamilton falls short as fans pick their F1 Australian GP Driver of the Day. F1 fans have voted Max Verstappen as Driver of the Day for the 2026 Australian GP.

Formula 1 fans have spoken, and the results of the Australian Grand Prix Driver of the Day vote have seen British stars Lewis Hamilton and Arvid Lindblad miss out on the honour.

The season-opening 2026 Australian Grand Prix delivered a spectacular and chaotic display of the new F1 regulations, with an incredible 120 overtakes recorded during the race. Despite the action, the race unfolded largely as expected, with George Russell securing a commanding victory for Mercedes in a one-two finish alongside teammate Kimi Antonelli.

Ferrari mounted a strong challenge against the Silver Arrows, but Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had to settle for third and fourth places, respectively. Hamilton felt he could have closed in on the Monegasque’s position if the race had continued for just a few more laps, highlighting the seven-time world champion’s impressive race pace in the SF-26 as he climbed from P7 on the grid. the British driver finished ahead of key 2025 title contenders, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, yet he still awaits his first podium finish in Ferrari colours.

The remaining British drivers, Ollie Bearman and Arvid Lindblad, rounded out the top ten, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Both young talents impressed with strong performances for Haas and Racing Bulls, with Bearman praising Lindblad’s racecraft after a competitive battle throughout the event. While Lindblad made a notable impression in his debut, it was ultimately insufficient to earn the coveted Driver of the Day accolade.

Max Verstappen Secures Driver of the Day in Melbourne

After a challenging weekend, Max Verstappen was voted F1’s Driver of the Day by fans. The Dutchman started the race from P20 following a crash in qualifying and recovered to finish sixth, securing eight crucial points for Red Bull. Fans praised Verstappen for extracting the maximum performance from his car under difficult circumstances.

According to the F1 Oversteer Facebook poll, the majority of fans agreed Verstappen was the standout performer. One fan commented that Verstappen “did a very good job to come in sixth after such a difficult weekend” and consistently “extracts the maximum from the car.” Another noted, “Even though I’m not a Verstappen fan, he was a pure beast on the track. Well done.”

Some fans argued that Verstappen could have shared the accolade with another driver, particularly Kimi Antonelli. Comments included: “Max and Kimi, both amazing comebacks.” Others suggested Arvid Lindblad should have been recognised alongside Verstappen, with fans debating: “There is 2. Max and Arvid” and “Max and Arvid… I agree.”

Despite the praise, some viewers questioned whether Verstappen deserved the award. He finished over 50 seconds behind the winner George Russell, leading some fans to argue that other drivers—particularly rookies who delivered impressive performances—were more deserving. One fan pointed out, “Not Max being 54s behind,” while another added, “Verstappen didn’t merit driver of the day just because he overtook lesser drivers in slower cars. He reached as far as he could and then met his match. One of the rookies is more deserving.”

The fan vote reflected both Max Verstappen’s resilience in difficult circumstances and the ongoing debate over standout performances in a race dominated by strategy, rookie debuts, and the effects of the new 2026 regulations.