Charles Leclerc set the pace as F1 began its new era at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.
The Ferrari driver led a one-two finish ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton during a chaotic first free practice session of the season.
Leclerc produced a best lap of 1:20.267 late in the hour. His final flying lap moved him clear of Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The session gave teams and fans their first look at the sport’s new generation of cars, which feature active aerodynamics, more electrical power and a lighter chassis.
Twenty-one of the 22 drivers ran in the opening practice. The hour included spins, stoppages and technical problems as teams tried to understand the behaviour of the new machines.
As it happened in the Australian GP FP1
Ferrari opened the 2026 season strongly. Leclerc’s late lap pushed him well clear of the field and secured the fastest time of the session.
Hamilton finished second, 0.469 seconds behind his teammate. The British driver completed clean running at a track where he has taken eight pole positions.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third, 0.522 seconds off the pace. Ferrari and Red Bull looked strong despite predictions that Mercedes would lead the field after preseason testing in Bahrain and Barcelona.
Isack Hadjar finished fourth and briefly topped the times during his first practice outing as a full-time Red Bull driver. He later locked up heavily and ran across the grass, but kept the car out of the barriers. The Frenchman returned to the pits and still secured a strong result.
The only rookie on the grid this year, Arvid Lindblad, also impressed by finishing fifth for Racing Bulls. His session began with drama when he stopped at the pit exit and triggered a Virtual Safety Car.
Lindblad later returned to the track and posted one of the standout laps of the hour. The teenager’s debut showed clear promise.
Aston Martin endured a difficult start to the season. The team announced before the session that Fernando Alonso would not take part due to a suspected power unit problem.
That left Lance Stroll as the team’s only runner. He completed just three laps and ended the session last among the drivers who set a time.
The lack of running left the team with almost no data from FP1. After a hard winter, the early signs suggested the AMR26 may still face serious issues.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris had a troubled start to his title defence. The McLaren driver reported “shocking” gear shifts over the radio before his team parked the car.
McLaren later confirmed that the team carried out precautionary gearbox checks. Norris finished the session 19th after very limited running.
Oscar Piastri also faced an early scare in front of his home crowd. His engine cut out on track but restarted shortly after. The Australian recovered well and ended the session sixth. He completed useful mileage after the early problem.
The session also marked Cadillac’s first appearance as Formula 1’s 11th team. Valtteri Bottas finished 17th for the American outfit.
Teammate Sergio Perez ended the session 20th after spinning near the end. Perez reported issues with engine braking.
The Mercedes pair showed a steady pace but did not challenge the front. George Russell finished seventh, and Kimi Antonelli, now in his second F1 season, placed eighth.
There were several interruptions during the session. Alex Albon stopped at Turn 10, which triggered a Virtual Safety Car while marshals recovered the Williams.
Bottas also reported that Hamilton blocked him on an out-lap. Officials noted the incident but took no further action.
Teams continued to learn about the new 2026 cars throughout the session. The cars are 30 kg lighter and narrower, and they use more electrical power alongside the combustion engine.
Those changes altered how drivers attacked the Albert Park Circuit. Many teams looked cautious as they gathered early data.
Full FP1 results: 2026 Australian Grand Prix
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:20.267 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.469s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.522s |
| 4 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | +0.820s |
| 5 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.046s |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +1.075s |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | +1.104s |
| 8 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +1.109s |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.429s |
| 10 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.702s |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.894s |
| 12 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.056s |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +2.346s |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +2.415s |
| 15 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.863s |
| 16 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +3.058s |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac F1 | +3.755s |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +3.768s |
| 19 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +4.124s |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac F1 | +4.353s |
| 21 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +30.067s |
| 22 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | No Time |
Source: Session classification from Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix FP1, March 6, 2026.
2026 Australian Grand Prix weekend schedule (AEDT, Melbourne local time)
| Session | Day | Time (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|
| Free Practice 1 | Friday, March 6 | 12:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | Friday, March 6 | 16:00 |
| Free Practice 3 | Saturday, March 7 | 12:30 |
| Qualifying | Saturday, March 7 | 16:00 |
| Race | Sunday, March 8 | 15:00 |
The first practice session offered only a glimpse of the competitive order. Teams will return to Albert Park later Friday for FP2 as they continue to learn how to unlock the potential of Formula 1’s new generation of cars.
