The 2026 Formula 1 season begins under the sign of Mercedes dominance. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will start at the front of the Australian Grand Prix after one-sided qualifying.
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The starting grid for the 2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix already marks a turning point in the championship hierarchy. At the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli gave Mercedes an all-silver front row.
The two drivers literally dominated the qualifying session. At the decisive moment, they set times significantly faster than the rest of the field, relegating their pursuers to nearly eight-tenths of a second. A considerable gap at this level of competition, which highlights the performance of the new W17 car.
This show of force puts Mercedes in an ideal position to start the first race of the new technical regulations introduced in 2026.
Hadjar surprises with Red Bull
Behind the two Mercedes, third place on the grid goes to Isack Hadjar, driving the Red Bull. The young driver delivered a solid performance by slotting in between the favorite teams. His performance is one of the surprises of these qualifications, in a session marked by several incidents and unusual gaps between the teams.
The second half of the top 6 brings together several prestigious names on the grid. Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc will start notably ahead of the two McLaren drivers.
The reigning world champion, Lando Norris, could do no better than sixth position, just behind his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri. In front of his home crowd in Melbourne, the latter will be keen to shine from the start of the race. For McLaren, the goal will be to quickly join the fight for the podium against competition that seems particularly strong.
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Hamilton in the pack, Verstappen at the back of the grid
Another prestigious name appears a little further down the grid: Lewis Hamilton will start from seventh position. A decent place, but still far from the pace set by Mercedes.
The situation is much more complicated for Max Verstappen. Victim of a technical problem during Q1, the Dutch driver ended his session in the wall after a violent accident. Direct consequence: he will start from 20th place on the grid.
For his part, Fernando Alonso will start in 17th position. Despite the difficulties encountered by his team, the Spaniard still managed to get ahead of the two Cadillac cars.
A race that could hold surprises
With a front row locked out by Mercedes and several favorites relegated further down the grid, this first Grand Prix of the 2026 F1 season promises to be particularly lively.
The gaps observed in qualifying suggest that Mercedes has a significant lead. But between energy management, strategy, and possible racing incidents, many scenarios remain possible.
The 2026 Formula 1 season therefore begins with one certainty: the battle for victory in Melbourne could be as spectacular as it is unpredictable.
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