Grid and TV schedule for the 2026 Australian F1 Grand Prix

Join us in Melbourne this Sunday, March 8 at 5:00 AM for the grand launch of the 2026 F1 season.

The 2026 F1 season kicks off this weekend in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix, the first round of the championship. Following an exciting qualifying session on the Albert Park Circuit, Mercedes has taken the lead by monopolizing the front row.

George Russell secured pole position ahead of his young teammate Kimi Antonelli, confirming the expectations placed on the Silver Arrows at the dawn of this new Formula One season. The Mercedes double is even more notable as Antonelli had to overcome a violent crash that occurred during the third free practice session. However, the mechanics managed to get the car ready in time for the qualifying session.

The third place goes to Isack Hadjar, the sole representative of the Red Bull Racing team in Q3 after the early elimination of Max Verstappen in Q1. The Frenchman outpaced the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who did not hide his frustration with the performance issues of the SF-26.

In front of his home crowd, Oscar Piastri completes the top 5 after a solid performance. The Australian driver managed to overtake his teammate at McLaren Formula 1 Team, Lando Norris, who was penalized by a damaged front wing and relegated to sixth place. The reigning world champion will start just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, in seventh.

A hierarchy still to be established

The drivers from the Racing Bulls team also made their mark by placing both their cars in eighth and ninth positions. Young Arvid Lindblad notably delivered a remarkable performance for his first qualifying in Formula 1. The tenth place goes to Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, who suffered a technical issue at the end of Q2 that prevented him from fully participating in the final phase.

The situation seems more delicate for Aston Martin F1 Team: Fernando Alonso will start only seventeenth while Lance Stroll did not participate in qualifying. Finally, bad luck continues for Carlos Sainz: without a time following a mechanical issue, the Spaniard will start from the back of the grid.

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• 06/03/2026 20:24

TV Schedule for the 2026 Australian F1 Grand Prix

The start of the Australian Grand Prix will be given on Sunday at 5 AM (French time), marking the true launch of the 2026 season.

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