George Russell takes pole position at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix

On March 7, 2026, Mercedes-AMG driver George Russell secured pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit. Russell completed his fastest lap in 1:18.518, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes alongside teammate Kimi Antonelli, who qualified second. Isack Hadjar for Red Bull took third place, followed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth. Max Verstappen suffered an accident at turn 1, damaging his RB22 and forcing him to start the race from the back of the grid. Oscar Piastri finished sixth for McLaren, while Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh. Sources provided conflicting information regarding Kimi Antonelli, with some reports noting a severe accident in free practice while others focus on his successful second-place qualifying performance. The session highlighted the competitive gap between Mercedes and other teams.