George Russell wins the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season opened at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, where Mercedes driver George Russell secured victory. Russell, who had previously claimed pole position with a time of 1:18.518, maintained his lead to win the race. His teammate Kimi Antonelli finished second, completing a 1-2 finish for Mercedes. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari rounded out the podium in third place. Max Verstappen, who started in 20th place following a crash during qualifying, managed to finish in sixth position. Other notable results included Lando Norris finishing fifth, while Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar retired from the race. Out of 20 starting cars, only 16 finished the event. The next race is scheduled to take place in China between March 13 and 15.