Photos: Charles Leclerc rockets to the front with incredible start at Australian GP – full sequence. Charles Leclerc starts the Australian GP in spectacular fashion.

Ferrari confirmed its starting advantage in Melbourne, with Charles Leclerc taking the lead and Lewis Hamilton running in third place immediately after the lights went out at the Australian Grand Prix. We had already seen this during the Bahrain pre-season testing, and it was confirmed once again at the start in Melbourne: Ferrari can rely on a significant advantage off the line. The SF-26 demonstrated a much better launch than its rival cars, thanks to a power unit specifically designed to minimize problems during the start phase.

The issue had already been highlighted in Sakhir, where other teams expressed concerns about the possible risks related to starting procedures. For this reason, the FIA introduced a five-second ‘Pre-start’ phase, giving drivers the opportunity to prepare the power unit and bring engine revs and battery levels to the required thresholds before the lights went out.

Ferrari rockets off the line and takes the lead at the Australian GP

We could witness it immediately in Melbourne. Once the blue lights went out, the starting lights followed the normal shutdown sequence, and the first race of the season officially began. The Ferrari SF-26 appeared to surge compared to the rest of the grid. Charles Leclerc, starting fourth on the grid, and Lewis Hamilton, starting seventh in qualifying, arrived at Turn 1 in first and third positions respectively. This was made possible by the superior launch capability of the SF-26, which allowed the Scuderia drivers to immediately put pressure on George Russell and the Mercedes cars.

The Monegasque driver fired off from fourth on the grid and overtook Isack Hadjar, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and George Russell in a breathtaking opening sequence. The following images capture exactly what happened at the start of the Australian Grand Prix, showcasing Leclerc’s remarkable reaction time, precision, and confidence as he surged into the lead.

This incredible start not only demonstrated the Ferrari’s advantage at the lights but also highlighted the strategic importance of maximizing the launch phase, where fractions of a second can determine the early race order. The SF-26’s ability to maintain traction and deliver immediate acceleration allowed Charles Leclerc to dominate the first few corners, while Lewis Hamilton was able to climb from his seventh-place starting position to a solid third, putting himself in an optimal position for the opening stint of the race.

For the Ferrari team, this early surge confirmed the gains they had been working on all winter. The engineers and strategists had focused on fine-tuning the power unit, transmission, and launch control systems to ensure that the car would be ready to capitalize on any opportunity at the lights. The start in Melbourne illustrated just how effective those improvements were, as Leclerc was able to apply early pressure on the Mercedes drivers while maintaining full control of the SF-26.

Meanwhile, the images clearly show how Charles Leclerc navigated through the first few corners with precision, carefully positioning his car to avoid unnecessary contact while overtaking three rivals in a matter of seconds. It was a textbook demonstration of start-line mastery, perfectly combining reaction time, technical skill, and car performance. This sequence immediately set the tone for what would become an intense battle at the front, with Leclerc leading the race and Hamilton supporting in third position.