George Russell secured pole position for the opening race of the 2026 Formula 1 season during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver was the fastest throughout the session and set a lap time of 1:18.518, finishing ahead of his teammate Kimi Antonelli and giving Mercedes a strong one-two result. Isack Hadjar impressed on his Red Bull debut and will start the race from third place.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc qualified in fourth position, while Australia’s Oscar Piastri will start fifth. Reigning world champion Lando Norris had a difficult session and will begin the race from sixth place. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, followed by Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top ten after reaching Q3 but was unable to set a final lap because of a technical problem.
There was a major surprise in the first part of qualifying when Max Verstappen crashed into the barrier after locking the rear of his car at Turn 1. The Red Bull driver was unharmed but was knocked out of the session early and will start near the back of the grid.
Fernando Alonso was also eliminated in Q1 and will start 17th, while Cadillac drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will start 18th and 19th. Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll did not take part in the qualifying session.
Qualifying was also affected by several incidents, including debris on the track and technical issues, which caused short delays and red flags.
The 2026 Australian Grand Prix will take place on Sunday at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.
