F1 Australia 2026: George Russell on Pole, Verstappen Out in Q1

George Russell of Mercedes dominates qualifying for the 2026 Australian GP in Melbourne, while Max Verstappen crashes in Q1 and will start last.

F1 Australia 2026: George Russell on Pole, Verstappen Out in Q1

Melbourne, Australia — The 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix kicks off with a surprise: George Russell of Mercedes took pole position in qualifying on March 7 at Albert Park Circuit, while four-time champion Max Verstappen crashed in Q1, failing to set a time and starting 20th on the grid 🏁

Russell and Antonelli Dominate for Mercedes

Russell posted a time of 1:18.518, with teammate Kimi Antonelli just 0.293 seconds behind, securing a Mercedes 1-2 lockout on the front row. Isack Hadjar of Red Bull surprised by qualifying third, 0.785 seconds off the leader.

Top 10 Qualifying Results:

• 1. George Russell (Mercedes) — 1:18.518
• 2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — +0.293s
• 3. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) — +0.785s
• 4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — +0.809s
• 5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) — +0.862s
• 6. Lando Norris (McLaren) — +0.957s
• 7. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — +0.960s
• 8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) — +1.476s
• 9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) — +2.729s
• 10. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) — No time in Q3

Verstappen's Drama

The session's biggest drama was Max Verstappen's crash in Q1. The Red Bull driver suffered a rear axle lock-up that sent him off track without setting a valid time, eliminated in 20th place — his worst qualifying in years 😱

Other drivers eliminated in Q1 included Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Sergio Pérez (Cadillac), Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), and Carlos Sainz (Williams).

The GP is This Weekend (March 20-22)

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix race takes place this weekend in Melbourne. Russell will look to convert pole into victory, while Verstappen attempts a comeback from the back of the grid 🏎️💨

Race time: Sunday, March 22 (local Australian time).

Source: Formula1.com, Forbes, The Race, PlanetF1