A new season and new regulations appear to have restored Mercedes to the top of the pecking order, as seen during the season-opening qualifying session in Australia. After weeks of rumours and endless speculation, George Russell delivered the real verdict by securing pole position with a dominant and almost effortless display of superiority.

Mercedes entered the first race of 2026 as an known-unknown quantity, keeping their heads down during pre-season testing and their cards close to their chest in the build-up to qualifying. Kimi Antonelli joined his team-mate on the front row by securing second place, comfortably ahead of the surprise third-placed Isack Hadjar.

The early pecking order is now starting to emerge. Red Bull and Ferrari appear closely matched behind Mercedes, while McLaren are a step back but not too far behind.

Mercedes Dominates

However, the true scale of Mercedes’ advantage remains uncertain after Max Verstappen crashed on his first lap. The reigning champion spun at Turn One following a sudden rear-axle lock-up, an issue he said he had never experienced before in Formula 1. Although he was unhurt, the incident means he will start 20th on the grid.

Behind the top three, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified fourth. The McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norrisfollowed, with Lewis Hamilton further down the order.

British teenager, Arvid Lindblad, impressed on his debut weekend by reaching Q3. A slightly weaker final lap left him 10th, just behind Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson, but Lindblad remained upbeat, saying the team had been competitive all weekend and that he was pleased to see both cars reach the final session.

Hadjar also exceeded expectations on his Red Bull debut, admitting he thought Ferrari would be ahead but capitalising on Verstappen’s misfortune to secure a strong third place.

Further back, Aston Martin endured a torrid weekend, plagued by reliability issues. Fernando Alonso could only manage 17th, although he pointed out the team had improved significantly after finally completing more laps, reducing their deficit from five seconds on Friday to about 2.5 seconds in qualifying.

Elsewhere, the new Audi team produced a solid showing, with Gabriel Bortoleto in 10th and Nico Hulkenberg in 11th. Bortoleto might have started higher, but his car broke down after Q2 while returning to the pits. The Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon qualified 12th and 13th.

Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll were unable to take part in qualifying due to reliability problems in final practice, leaving them at the back of the grid alongside Verstappen.

2026 Australian GP: Qualifying Results

1 George Russell Mercedes 1:18.518

2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:18.811

3 Isack Hadjar Red Bull 1:19.303

4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:19.327

5 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:19.380

6 Lando Norris McLaren 1:19.475

7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:19.478

8 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:19.994

9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 1:21.247

10 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi no time

11 Nico Hulkenberg Audi 1:20.303

12 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:20.311

13 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:20.491

14 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:20.501

15 Alex Albon Williams 1:20.941

16 Franco Colapinto Alpine 1:21.270

17 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:21.969

18 Sergio Perez Cadillac 1:22.605

19 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1:23.244

20 Max Verstappen Red Bull no time

21 Carlos Sainz Williams no time

22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin no time