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2026 Formula 1 Australian GP
Mar 5, 2026 to Mar 8, 2026
| Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, AU
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Formula 1 Australian GP
F1 Australian GP live commentary and updates - qualifying
Follow along for the action in qualifying for Formula 1's Australian Grand Prix
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02:42:57 am
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That's all from us, and thank you very much for joining.
We'll see you tomorrow for the grand prix - catch you bright and early on Sunday morning!
02:36:47 am
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Formula 1
F1 Australian GP: Russell takes pole from Antonelli as Verstappen crashes out
A dominant George Russell was untouchable in Melbourne’s qualifying session
02:36:40 am
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It's all shaping up to be an interesting race tomorrow - if there's more moments of powertrain newness and gremlins, it might be an old-school encounter of attrition.
Russell and Antonelli have the floor, but let's not forget how quick the Ferrari-powered cars are off the line. The starts will be a new variable too - so it should be a fascinating Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
02:29:23 am
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Hadjar happy with "smooth qualifying" after difficult weekend
"It was a very smooth qualifying, the run-up was a bit difficult and we were not really in the position to fight for the top three," Hadjar said. "I felt like the Ferraris and the McLarens were a bit clear. But we built up to it and it was a good last lap."
"I want to keep my position - a second podium would be cool".
02:27:28 am
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Antonelli: Mechanics were the heroes
"The mechanics today were the heroes," Antonelli said after qualifying second. "We didn't even have time to set up the car. It was not easy and I had to dig deep. I need to have a clean weekend next time as I definitely compromised qualifying today."
02:25:06 am
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Russell on pole, Mercedes flexes an advantage
So, Russell does a 1m18.518s, which is 0.3s clear of Antonelli and 0.785s clear of Hadjar - the best non-Mercedes car. That's a hefty advantage, one obscured by sandbags until the final moments of Q3.
Ferrari's pace seemed to disappear a bit through qualifying, while Hadjar has enjoyed a good run to third. It all feels a bit 2014, doesn't it - two Mercs at the front, and the 'second' Red Bull in the top three.
Checkered flag
02:22:11 am
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Top 10
1. Russell
2. Antonelli
3. Hadjar
4. Leclerc
5. Piastri
6. Norris
7. Hamilton
8. Lawson
9. Lindblad
10. Bortoleto
02:21:30 am
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Piastri moves up to third, 0.8s off Russell's effort. Leclerc then goes up into third, but he's then replaced by Hadjar.
Lawson outqualifies Lindblad, as the rookie's lap wasn't all that good.
Stopwatch
02:19:58 am
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It's a 1m18.811s for Antonelli there, a good lap. But Russell's about to do something here...
...and it's a 1m18.518s, that's surely pole?
02:18:19 am
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The second runs are about to start, with the Racing Bulls now joining the fray. Neither Lindblad or Lawson have laps on the board.
Antonelli kicks us off with a second effort.
Stopwatch
02:15:01 am
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Antonelli locks up at Turn 3 and skitters across the gravel - he's been in the wars today.
Russell's going for a run now, but it's not the cleanest. He does a 1m19.084s, while Hadjar goes second with a lap 0.6s behind.
The Ferraris will need a second run, while Norris vaults up into second.
Green flag
02:11:06 am
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Q3 now resumes, with the two Mercedes drivers leading the pack away from Hadjar and Piastri. Norris is now in the queue after getting his front wing taped up.
02:08:19 am
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Norris isn't ready to join the front of the queue waiting to leave the pitlane in three minutes' time.
We've got just under 10 minutes remaining, with only Piastri's 1m30s on the board.
02:06:10 am
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Norris' front wing doesn't appear to be too damaged, apart from a wee scratch on the paintwork. The only thing McLaren's mechanics have to do is wipe it off.
Penalty presumably coming Mercedes' way for letting the car go out in an unsafe condition.
Red flag
02:04:34 am
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Antonelli's car was released with the cooling fan still attached, which fell out. Red flag once more to retrieve that - which will be made difficult by the fact that someone's run it over.
Norris went into it, and it shattered into a zillion pieces - so, the brooms will get a work out again.
Green flag
02:01:22 am
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Time for Q3!
The battle for pole is on. Well, it might be a battle, but George Russell looks to have the run of things so far. Can Ferrari spring a late surprise?
01:59:03 am
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Slight delay to the start of Q3 as Bortoleto's Audi was cleared out of the pitlane.
Our remaining nine cars have left the garage, as they're keen to get going for Q3. Norris is first in the queue, ahead of the two Racing Bulls machines.
01:56:21 am
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Lindblad has a lurid lock-up in the pit entry as Bortoleto has come to a halt, and the Briton needed to take evasive action.
He's been rolled away, so he's not going to be able to take part in Q3. Top nine shootout, then.
01:52:14 am
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Drivers in Q3
Russell, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Hadjar, Norris, Hamilton, Lindblad, Lawson, Bortoleto.
Lindblad hits the top 10 in his first F1 qualifying session, while Bortoleto takes Audi into its first Q3 at the first attempt. Impressive stuff.
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Checkered flag
01:51:03 am
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Eliminated in Q2
11. Hulkenberg
12. Bearman
13. Ocon
14. Gasly
15. Albon
16. Colapinto
01:50:19 am
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Leclerc books himself into Q3 with a 1m19.357s, and moves up to second.
Bearman improves but only gets up to 11th - which becomes 12th when Bortoleto moves back into the top 10.
Colapinto can't improve enough to get out of 16th, while Gasly also stays 14th.
01:47:38 am
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Hulkenberg gets up to ninth on that lap, so he's escaped the drop zone for now.
Hamilton moves up to sixth and thus pushes Bortoleto into the bottom six. Antonelli goes second fastest, half a second off Russell, while Norris doesn't improve.
01:43:50 am
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Ferrari, having looked quick all weekend, is finding Q2 a tougher nut to crack. They'll have to burn up another set and go again.
After the first runs, it's Gasly, Bearman, Albon, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, and Hamilton in the drop zone. Hamilton goes out again on fresh softs.
01:41:47 am
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Hadjar moves up to third - meanwhile, Hamilton was quick in the first sector, but his middle sector was quite slow and he's backed out of that one. He visits the weighbridge before his return to the pit garage.
Stopwatch
01:40:04 am
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Antonelli sets a 1m19.604s, but Russell's lighting up the timing board.
It's a 1m18.934s. That's a big lap - Norris goes third, 0.948s off Russell's effort.
Stopwatch
01:38:09 am
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Hamilton did a purple first sector, but backed off and lets Leclerc through.
The Monegasque sets a 1m20.088s, this time on the soft compound after running mediums in Q1.
Green flag
01:36:09 am
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Q2 is under way
Now comes the small matter of deciding positions 11-16 on the grid. Everyone except the Mercs, Hulkenberg, and Hadjar are currently on the road.
01:31:18 am
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Perez and Bottas thank the Cadillac team for their efforts. Although the two fell out of the reckoning in Q1, Perez was only three seconds off the pace, with Bottas a further 0.7s behind him.
01:30:04 am
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Eliminated in Q1
17. Alonso
18. Perez
19. Bottas
20. Verstappen
21. Sainz
22. Stroll
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing crash
Photo by: Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images
Checkered flag
01:29:12 am
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Colapinto gets a lap in at the last moment to dump Alonso out in Q1.
"Thank you guys, you're the best," Antonelli says, having got out of the garage and fired off a competitive time off the bat.
01:27:13 am
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Norris moves up to fourth, half a second off Russell's pace.
Colapinto needs to get a lap in, as he's the wrong side of the cut-off - that being Alonso's lap - which he's able to improve on.
Stopwatch
01:25:02 am
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Lawson gets our first post-red improvement on the board, moving up to ninth. Antonelli has been pinged for a pitlane infringement.
Hamilton continues with mediums and he's done a good first sector - and moves up to top spot with a 1m19.811s.
Antonelli, meanwhile, throws up a lap and gets into third off the bat. Impressive stuff, although Russell's looking incredibly quick.
Piastri does a 1m19.664s to go top, but is replaced by Russell's 1m19.507s.
Green flag
01:21:03 am
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And we're back - Norris is first onto the track, followed by Lindblad and Lawson, then Piastri.
No sign of Sainz or Stroll in the pitlane yet, while Perez and Bottas are the only two drivers in the drop zone with a time on the board.
01:17:01 am
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Qualifying will resume in a couple of minutes' time, as the Red Bull has been cleared up...
...and Antonelli has made it out of the garage, so he's got a chance of breaking free of the opening stage of qualifying.
Off track
01:14:05 am
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Verstappen gets out of the car, it's game over.
"The car just locked on the rear axle. Fantastic," he murmurs over the radio. Looks like there's a bit of pain in his right hand, as he shakes it off.
This is good news for Mercedes and Antonelli, who's sitting in the car. He might be ready to go by the time the red flag is rescinded.
Red flag
01:11:16 am
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Piastri now goes second, 0.432s off Russell, until Leclerc goes second...
...as Verstappen goes into the wall at Turn 1!
Stopwatch
01:09:52 am
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Russell posts a 1m19.840s to go quickest by 0.655s. Leclerc follows Hamilton's lead with mediums and goes fourth.
Hadjar goes up to second, 0.6s off Russell's benchmark, until Lindblad moves a shade above his Racing Bulls predecessor.
Stopwatch
01:06:16 am
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Lindblad sets a 1m21.008s, three tenths clear of Lawson to go top.
Norris is two tenths off after a slide in Turn 3, while Piastri sets a 1m20.552s to go top. Hamilton is second with medium tyres - at least, until Bortoleto sets a 1m20.495s to hit the front.
Here comes Russell on a lap.
Stopwatch
01:04:47 am
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Hulkenberg backs off, letting Albon go through. The Thai driver does a 1m21.802s, which will serve as our benchmark - one swiftly beaten by Ollie Bearman and his 1m21.408s.
We were on the cusp of the 1m18s during FP3 - how will we get on as we progress to Q3?
01:03:12 am
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Sainz and Stroll might struggle to get on track too - Sainz stopped on track during FP3, while Stroll missed it entirely.
Hulkenberg opens a lap, aiming to take Audi all the way to Q3 if he can. The pace is there, but now it's all about execution. Deployment is going to be the key differentiator.
Pagination
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By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Published: Mar 7, 2026, 6:42 AM
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