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Russell, Antonelli lead Mercedes in one-two qualifying positions for F1's Australian GP
- On March 7, 2026, George Russell set pole with a lap of 1:18.518 at Albert Park, securing the top starting spot for Mercedes in the season opener.
- Under the 2026 rules, Mercedes' speed reflected how the team exploited the nearly 50:50 split between the turbo 1.6-liter V6 and electrical energy in Formula 1.
- After a massive FP3 crash, Kimi Antonelli returned to claim a front-row start on his full-time debut but faces a stewards' investigation for leaving two cooling fans on his sidepod.
- Max Verstappen suffered a rear-axle lock and will start Sunday's race from the back, while Isack Hadjar qualified third on his Red Bull debut.
- The result signals a massive power shift as Mercedes dominated qualifying, while Cadillac's new 11th team saw Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas eliminated in Q1 amid mixed progress from Racing Bulls and Audi.
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174 Articles
The British won the first big prize of the season in a solid win, while his partner Antonelli was second. Mercedes won the strategic battle against Ferrari, who failed from the wall. Alonso retired on lap 21 and Sainz finished 15th.
Russell leads Mercedes 1-2 for Australian GP
George Russell powered to pole position Saturday for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, but there was disaster for Max Verstappen who crashed out. On a fine day at Melbourne's Albert Park, Verstappen's Red Bull partner Isack Hadjar came third in chaotic qualifying as the pecking order became clearer after the biggest regulation shake-up the sport has seen in years. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will k…
George Russell made the best time of the qualifying session in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, the first round of the F1 season.
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