Video: Charles Leclerc pulls off stunning Turn 1 moves to lead Australian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc delivers a spectacular start at the Australian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc storms from P4 to the lead at the start of the Australian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season immediately delivered drama at the start of the Australian Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc produced a spectacular opening lap to seize the race lead. Starting from fourth on the grid, the Ferrari driver launched brilliantly when the lights went out and quickly put himself in position to attack into the first corner.

The Moneagsque wasted no time making his move. Carrying strong momentum into Turn 1, the the Ferrari man dived decisively to the inside of pole-sitter George Russell. The maneuver was clean, perfectly timed, and immediately rewarded Ferrari with the lead of the race.

In the space of just a few seconds, Charles Leclerc had transformed his starting position into track position advantage. For Ferrari, which had shown competitive pace in the corners during qualifying but struggled on the straights compared to Mercedes, getting ahead early in the race was a crucial strategic opportunity.

A perfect launch from the Ferrari driver

Charles Leclerc’s start was one of the most impressive moments of the opening phase of the race. Launching aggressively off the line, he quickly closed the gap to the cars ahead and positioned his SF-26 perfectly for the braking zone into Turn 1. With confidence and precision, he committed to the inside line and emerged from the corner in first place.

Antonelli loses positions after difficult start

While Leclerc enjoyed a dream launch, it was a completely different story for Kimi Antonelli. The young driver started from second on the grid but struggled to get away cleanly when the race began.

A poor getaway saw him immediately lose momentum off the line, leaving him vulnerable to attacks from the cars behind. By the time the field reached the opening corners, Antonelli had already dropped several positions.

Within the first lap, the Italian had fallen all the way down to seventh place, a dramatic loss considering his strong qualifying performance. In modern Formula 1, where the margins between teams are incredibly tight, even a small hesitation at the start can quickly translate into multiple lost positions.

Early momentum for Ferrari

Leclerc’s lightning start gave Ferrari a major boost at the beginning of the race. Securing the lead not only allowed the team to control the pace but also helped neutralize some of the advantages rivals had shown during qualifying.