The first qualifying session of the Formula 1 season in Melbourne proved to be intense and eventful, especially against the backdrop of the new 2026 regulations. During practice, teams largely kept their pace concealed, while Aston Martin faced significant Honda engine vibration issues, causing Fernando Alonso to miss the first session, Sergio Pérez to miss the second, and Carlos Sainz to miss the third.
On Friday, Oscar Piastri set the fastest time, while on Saturday morning George Russell showcased the pace of the Mercedes for the first time, beating his nearest rival by six tenths of a second. Kimi Antonelli nearly missed qualifying due to serious damage to his car.
At the start of the final session, the drivers went out on the soft C5 tyres. Russell set a benchmark of 1:18.518, ahead of Antonelli and Piastri. Red flags were deployed multiple times due to debris on the track and incidents involving Max Verstappen and Bortoleto. Lando Norris also suffered damage after hitting fan components on the circuit.
Ultimately, George Russell claimed pole position the eighth of his career while Mercedes secured the entire front row for the 85th time in the team’s history. Isaac Hadschar took third, achieving the best result of his career and ending Max Verstappen’s streak of 24 consecutive qualifying sessions in which he had outperformed his teammate.
