The first race of the season definitely brought some exciting on-track moments for fans watching from everywhere, and it just brought more proof that we’re in for a competitive season. By the time the checkered flag waved, it was George Russell who was first after he won the battle with Leclerc in the opening stages of the race. His teammate Kimi Antonelli was second, ahead of the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Below are the highlights from the Australian Grand Prix.
- Mercedes Looking Strong Ahead of Ferrari
- Most people were betting on Mercedes coming out on top amid the new rules and regulations, and the Silver Arrows did not disappoint. After Russell and Antonelli qualified first and second respectively in qualifying, Russell had a fight on his hands during the race with Charles Leclerc, who made his way up from fourth on the grid to battle for first. The two definitely gaves fans lots of on-track action to enjoy, and ultimately, after all the pit-stops had been made, it was George Russell who finished the race victorious. Antonelli was right behind in second, while Leclerc saw the checkered flag third, after Ferrari losing out due to pit stops calls. However, the weekend was encouraging for both teams, and they seem to be the top two to beat so far this season.
- McLaren Suffering a Tough Weekend
- McLaren came into the 2026 season as the reigning Constructors’ Champions, and they knew it would be a difficult title to uphold. The first race of the season did not prove them wrong, as Oscar Piastri suffered from a heart-breaking crash before the race had even begun, as he spun while making his way to the grid. That left the reigning World Champion Lando Norris as the only McLaren in the race, and it quickly became apparent that the best he could was fight for fifth against his long-time rival Max Verstappen. However we know from the past that McLaren can not be discounted, and they may catch up to Mercedes and Ferrari in the development race.
- Points on Debut for Arvid and Audi
- Arvid Linblad joined Racing Bulls this season and is now the only rookie on the grid. He needed to impress on his debut race weekend, and that’s exactly what he did. Linblad managed to qualify in the top ten, right behind his teammate Liam Lawson, and during the race it only went up from there. While Lawson dropped back, Arvid stayed in the running, and when the checkered flag was waved, the Birt found himself in eighth place, and earned a solid four points. The team Audi also ended the race on a high, after Gabriel Bortoleto helped them score points in their first race as well. Though they didn’t build the team completely from scratch like Cadillac did, points on their debut as Audi is certainly a big accomplishment, and one the who team will feel happy with. Bortoleto’s teammate Hulkenberg unfortunately suffered a DNS, but with some more work Audi is definitely a solid midfield runner.
- DNF for Hadjar, but Solid Results Previously
- Isack Hadjar unfortunately did not get to finish his first race as a driver at Red Bull, but there was definitely many positives to take away from his weekend. The team did not appear to be on the same level as Mercedes and Ferrari initially, however Hadjar impressed in qualifying when he managed to earn a place on the third spot on the grid, behind only the Mercedes drivers. The race started out well for him as well, until he suffered from a DNF due to a power unit failure. However, he definitely impressed throughout the weekend, and may be on his way to breaking the ‘second seat curse’ at Red Bull.
- Bearman Earning a Strong Result for Haas
- One talking point heading into the new season was which midfield teams would end up on top. And after the first race of 2026, Haas is on top. Of course things can drastically change through a season, but the team is looking strong, especially after Bearman drove to an impressive seventh place in Australia. Their top contenders are likely to be Racing Bulls and Audi, while many people expected Alpine to also be in contention, though their first race only earned them one point.
