Russell reveals true pace as practice concludes at Albert Park

An action-packed third and final practice session has set the stage for qualifying for this weekend’s FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026. In a session marked by a delayed start and two red flags, George Russell emerged on top of the timing screens.

The British star lapped in 1m19.053s in his Mercedes-AMG, finally revealing the true pace of the new-generation machinery. He finished a significant 0.616s clear of the closest pursuers, the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Several drivers had their qualifying simulations interrupted by a late-session red flag, including home hero Oscar Piastri. After running long early in the hour, the Australian ended up in fourth place, just 0.4s behind the Ferraris.

Max Verstappen also struggled, describing the steering of his Red Bull in unkind terms as he finished behind his teammate. Isack Hadjar lapped 0.05s faster than the four-time World Champion, setting up an entertaining intra-team battle for the afternoon.

The second Mercedes-AMG of Kimi Antonelli was seventh fastest despite causing one of the red flags. With 13 minutes remaining, the young Italian caught the Turn 1 exit kerb and backed his car into the wall.

The Mercedes-AMG team faces a race against time to repair the damage before qualifying begins. World Champion Lando Norris was eighth fastest, another driver impacted by the timing of the final restart.

Gabriel Bortoleto continued to impress for Audi in ninth, finishing ahead of fellow youngsters Oliver Bearman and Arvid Lindblad. It was a short and difficult session for Carlos Sainz, whose Williams-Mercedes ground to a halt before he could set a time.

All is now in readiness for the first qualifying session of the 2026 season at 4:10 pm. The revised start time follows the delays in the final practice as 22 drivers fight for the first pole position of the year.