It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the first race week of the season! Today? Qualifying. After three very eventful practices, it’s time to set the grid for Albert Park.
q1
With 13 minutes on the clock, George Russell quickly sped through the twists and turns of the beautiful track to take the fastest lap. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was second fastest, his Ferrari as well as 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s looks quite speedy this year! Oscar Piastri, hometown hero, sat in third with 18-year-old Arvid Lindblad following behind.
With 7:41 left, Charles Leclerc went for another lap to try and knock George off the top step. But his lap was overshadowed by 4-time World Champion Max Verstappen bouncing into the gravel and then hitting the barrier! The Yellow Flag is turned into a Red. Upon review, it became clear that Max’s rear axle locked up, sending him into the barrier at Turn 1 backwards. Not being able to see when he was going to collide with the barrier, he kept his hands on the steering wheel. So when the car finally turned around just as he hit the wall, his wrists took on a lot of impact. After hopping out of the car, he was seen shaking his wrists and examining his hands. No further reports on this yet so he must be okay.
While the Red Bull Garage sighed in unison and brought their heads to their hands at the amount of work they would have to do before the race, the Mercedes Garage down the Pit Lane was stoked. Kimi Antonelli, the Italian teenager who raced his first year in F1 last year, had a nasty wreck in Q3. The engineers and pit crew were working tirelessly to try and fix the car so Kimi could compete in Qualifying. Still in the Pit Lane with only 7 minutes left of qualifying. Kimi seemed destined to start from the back of the grid and in the Pit Lane. Unfortunately for Max Verstappen but fortunately for Kimi, Max’s wreck gave the Mercedes team more time to fix Kimi’s car to get it back out and competing with his teammate out in front.
After a break to get Max’s Red Bull out of the gravel, we’re back with 18 seconds left of Q3. George led out in first followed by Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar, and his stellar teammate Kimi Antonelli! Sergio Perez, who retired from Red Bull but is back with Cadillac, completed his last lap to try and get out of the bottom 6, but he was unsuccessful. Franco Colapinto, also in the bottom six, passed the finish line and jumped up to 15th, sending Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso into the drop zone.
The drivers eliminated in Q3 were Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Sergio Perez (Cadillac), Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), Max Verstappen (Red Bull) (No Time Set), Carlos Sainz (Williams) (No Time Set), and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) (No Time Set).
q2
George Russell yet again led the pack in the second round of Qualifying. Charles Leclerc followed him with Kimi Antonelli in third.
Isack Hadjar sped through the final turn of the track to try and turn his current P5 into a higher ranking. That Red Bull sure is working for him! Hopefully the Curse of the Second RB seat has come to an end. While performing a mega lap, Oscar Piastri ahead was just a tiny bit faster, leaving Isack stuck in 5th for the time being.
After Q2 ended, something strange happened off the track. Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto, who barely made it into Q3 by scoring tenth, pulled off the track while both of his warning lights flashed. Something was messed up with the car, so Q3 was set to be a 9 car race instead of 10.
The Drivers eliminated in Q2 were Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Esteban Ocon (Haas), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Alex Albon (Williams), and Franco Colapinto (Alpine).
q1
With ten minutes left in Q3, a part of the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli was not taken off in the pit lane when it should have been, so it flew off on the track. Lando Norris was the unfortunate driver to run over this piece of Merc equipment . Under the weight of the McLaren’s tire, the piece burst into a million little pieces of debris all over the track, so the session was paused while it got cleaned up.
With less than 7 minutes left, The Man from Melbourne, Oscar Piastri, led the field. But George Russell, who has dominated the last two sessions of Qualifying, passed the line and took P1 back. Seconds later, the only Red Bull still out on track took second. Isack Hadjar to the front row! Oscar followed Isack to try and take at least second back, but he didn’t have the time. He only managed third. Charles Leclerc quickly took third from a desperate Oscar. Lewis was next to finish his lap, but he only made it to 5th. Next came the reigning World Champion, Lando Norris! He finished his lap and bumped Isack out of second!
With a minute left before the grid was set, Kimi Antonelli came soaring through the final corners of Albert Park. From not being sure if he would be able to qualify less than an hour before to taking Pole Position from his dominating teammate, Kimi sure is looking strong in 2026! Even if it’s for mere seconds, the glory of Pole position is unmatched, because George Russell is quick to speed up his Mercedes and take P1 right back! Oscar tried to intercept the Mercedes blocked out front row with Papaya colored machinery, but he just wasn’t fast enough to compete with the Mercs. He took third. Then came Charles Leclerc, who knocked Oscar out of third yet again. Isack Hadjar’s best qualifying finish was P4, but he made it P3 today! Lando came next, but he could only manage P6. Then the Goat himself, Lewis Hamilton, passed the line in 7th. All the remaining drivers completing their last laps of Qualifying just didn’t have the pace to compete. George Russell is on Provisional Pole for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix! What a drive from the Brit!
the grid
Here is the starting grid for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferarri)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bull)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Sergio Perez (Cadillac)
- Valtteri Bottas (Cadilliac)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
I’ll catch you guys after the race!
xx
The Formula 1 edit 
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