A new Formula 1 era began in dominant fashion for Mercedes at Albert Park as George Russell converted pole position into victory at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, leading home team-mate Kimi Antonelli in a commanding one-two finish.
What initially looked like a Ferrari-controlled race unravelled through strategy missteps and perfectly timed neutralisations, allowing Russell to regain the lead and control the closing stages.
The Briton ultimately crossed the line three seconds clear of Antonelli, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing a distant third and fourth.
2026 Australian Grand Prix - Race Results
The race day drama began before the lights even went out.
Local favourite Oscar Piastri never made the start after crashing his McLaren during the reconnaissance lap. The Melbourne driver lost control exiting Turn 4 and slammed into the barriers, ending his home race before it began.
He was not the only driver unable to take the grid. Nico Hulkenberg also failed to start after his Audi encountered a technical problem on the way to the grid.
Ferrari’s Fast Start
When the race finally began, Ferrari looked poised to seize control.
Leclerc launched brilliantly from fourth place to snatch the lead from polesitter Russell at the start, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar briefly ran second. Meanwhile, Antonelli slipped back from the front row to seventh.
Further back, Arvid Lindblad surged from ninth to fourth, though Hamilton quickly sliced past both the Red Bull and Racing Bulls machines to move into third.
Russell soon began attacking Leclerc and reclaimed the lead on lap two heading toward Turn 11. But the Ferrari driver struck back immediately, sweeping around the outside at Turn 9 on the following lap thanks to stronger energy deployment.
The pair continued their duel for several laps, repeatedly swapping positions as they battled through Albert Park’s fast lakeside section.
Strategy Turns the Race
By lap eight, Max Verstappen had already climbed into the top ten from the back of the grid while Antonelli recovered to fourth.
Russell finally managed to edge ahead of Leclerc again at Turn 3, though the Ferrari driver once more fought back around the outside at Turn 9 as their strategic energy management duel continued.
The complexion of the race changed on lap 12 when Hadjar retired with a technical issue, triggering a virtual safety car. This created the first strategic crossroads.
Most notably, Verstappen – running long on hard tyres – stayed out and inherited sixth place. The Mercedes pair soon pitted for hard tyres and rejoined in third and fifth, now chasing Leclerc and Hamilton who had stayed out.
Hamilton questioned the decision over the radio, suggesting Ferrari should split strategies: at least one car should have pitted.
A second virtual safety car for Valtteri Bottas’ stricken Cadillac offered another opportunity, but Ferrari again stayed out, leaving them vulnerable.
Russell Regains Control
As the race returned to green, Russell rapidly erased the deficit to the Ferraris. By lap 20 he was lapping significantly faster than Hamilton and closing quickly on the leaders.
Leclerc eventually pitted on lap 25, but the delay proved costly. He rejoined 16 seconds behind Russell, who soon passed Hamilton to reclaim the lead on lap 28.
Hamilton stopped shortly afterward and rejoined fourth, now more than 20 seconds behind the Mercedes driver.
Antonelli, meanwhile, began closing in on his team-mate before a third virtual safety car – triggered by debris from Sergio Perez’s Cadillac – stabilised the gap.
With ten laps remaining, Russell maintained a comfortable six-second advantage over Antonelli, with Leclerc and Hamilton trailing well behind.
Midfield Scraps and Debut Woes
Behind the podium battle, Lando Norris secured fifth place after a fierce late-race scrap with a resurgent Max Verstappen, who had carved his way from the back of the grid.
Further back, Oliver Bearman led the midfield home for Haas, followed by Lindblad, Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
It was a somber debut for Cadillac; Valtteri Bottas retired with mechanical failure, and Sergio Perez finished two laps down in 16th. Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Honda powertrain predictably struggled with severe vibrations.
While Fernando Alonso was forced to retire, Lance Stroll managed to limp across the finish line 15 laps down, exceeding the team's low expectations for the day.
Ultimately, the day belonged to the Silver Arrows. Russell crossed the line three seconds ahead of Antonelli, signaling that while the era is new, Mercedes' hunger for the top step remains unchanged.
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