Huge crash and debris wreaks havoc on qualifying

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Well they promised a season of chaos and they have not disappointed.

Two cars didn't even make it on track, a world champion crashed out in Q1 and a car destroyed in FP3 was put back together in miracle time.

Qualifying in Melbourne was truly edge of your seat stuff with George Russell living up to the pre-session favourite tag and securing pole position for the first time in Australia.

For now it is an all-Mercedes front row but that could change with Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes bosses due to meet the stewards to discuss unsafe pitlane action as well as parts of thear falling off on the track and causing damage to lando Norris' car.

The McLarens will be disappointed with their results, Oscar Piastri starts fifth for his home race while world champion Norris is 6th.

George Russell is on pole in Australia

His first pole position ever in Australia and first since Singapore 2025. It's an all-Mercedes front row and that's an insane result for the team. That could well change for Antonelli who will be summoned to the stewards.

Oscar Piastri will start in 5th.

GEORGE RUSSELL

"It was a great day, we knew there was a lot of potential in the car but until you get to the Saturday you never know. I'm so happy to have Kimi here with me because the team to deliver thi car was an amazing job.

"It's not easy to drive (this car) I dont know if the fans undewrstand. I am excited for the race tomorrow, I think this will bring some exciting racing.

"A lot of the simple things in the past like starts and pit stops are really complicated with these cars. Who knows what will happen tomorrow."

KIMI ANTONELLI

"It's been a very stressful day. We couldnt even set up the car we just sent it out and I am very happy with that. It was not easy, I had to dig deep

"We have a race to look forward to and we hope for a good result."

HADJAR

"We are not really in a position to fight for top 3, I thought Ferrari and McLaren were faster than me so that was good. All I can do is go for a good start, the Mercedes are just too fast at the moment. A podium would be cool."

Grid for AUS GP

1. Russell
2. Antonelli
3. Hadjar
4. Leclerc
5. Piastri
6. Norris
7. Hamilton
8. Lindblad
9. Lawson
10. Bortoleto
11. Hulkenberg
12. Bearman
13. Ocon
14. Gasly
15. Albon
16. Colapinto
17. Alonso
18. Perez
19. Bottas
20. Verstappen
21. Sainz
22. Stroll

RED FLAG

There's part of a car's cooler on the track - it looks like part of a Mercedes car. Session is halted. Said car part has now been run over by Norris and this all looks a little worrying for Antonelli who is already under investigation. A huge penalty heading to Mercedes.

Q3 will only have 9 cars

Bortoleto is stuck in pitlane and it OUT of qualifying. That is BRUTAL. The car is stuck in neutral

Start of Q3 will be delayed. We're lucky there wasn't a three car crash in the pitlane, there was no warning for the others that a car was having issues.

__OUT IN Q2: Colapinto, Albon, Gasly, Ocon, Bearman, Hulkenberg

Ferrari had been a little MIA in this middle session. Neither looking convincing, that is until Leclerc pulled an insane lap seemingly from nowhere to go second and split the Mercedes. Piastri fourth fastest and needs some pace in this final session.

Q2 Mercedes set the pace

George Russell is in a league of his own at the moment...flying he is. The first to clock a sub 1:19 this weekend and there's something not right about Lando Norris so far in Melbourne. he was on pole here last year but he's not finding the pace at the moment - a full second behind the Mercedes.

Piastri looking stronger than his teammate - currently second fastest.

OUT IN Q1: Stroll, Sainz, Verstappen, Bottas, Perez, Alonso

Props to Antonelli who went out on track with no GPS, he clocked the third fastest time. Old school kind of driver this lad. "My god,thank you guys, you are the best." he tells the Mercedes garage. In fairness he might want to thank Verstappen because that red flag is what got him on the track.

Piastri was second fastest in that session.

HUGE CRASH!

Max Verstappen has flown off the track in Melbourne and crashed into the barriers. He is out of qualifying and the session is red flagged.

He is out of the car but is shaking his hands and looks to have held on to the steering wheel which poses a huge threat to a driver's well being.

Martin Brundle cautioning that is the kind of accident that can cause a double wrist break.

Max has come on the radio and said "the car f-----g locked on the rear axles. Fantastic."

Session has resumed and ANTONELLI IS ON TRACK!

Q1 We won't have 22 on track

It will be a miracle if Antonelli and Stroll take to the track for this session. One has no power and one - we - has no car to speak of at the moment. If you're just joining us, the Mercedes youngster trashed his car in FP3...

Also doubts over Carlos Sainz taking any part.

Early indications from this session is that Audi are not to be dismissed, theyare looking solid on this track. They probably won't challenge the top four teams but they look good.

George Russell has set the pace with Piastri in second as things stand.

How qualifying works in 2026 with 22 cars:

🏁 Eliminated in Q1 P22 - P17
🏁 Eliminated in Q2 P16 - P11
🏁 Top Ten Shootout in Q3

Mercedes update:

We are 30 minutes from qualifying and the word fresh out of Mercedes is that Antonelli has actually done minimal damage to the chassis and power unit, according to Sky F1 the car "looks ok but there is no guarantee they will be on track for qualifying."

They are new cars however, to a degree theyre in there blind in the pressure sense to be ready in 30.

"It's a tough one because the car looks so good out there. I will be surprised if they are ready but this is all new to them as a team," Jenson Button said.

Antonelli smashes into the wall

That is not the sight any Mercedes fan would want to see.

Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli faces a race against time to be ready for qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix after a huge crash in free practice.

The young star got out of the car fine but the damaged caused in the incident at turn 2 could jeopardize his participation in qualifying this afternoon.

With all the debris across the track, it has prompted the red flag to be raised.

Thankfully the Italian is okay but it's certainly going to be a challenge to get the car ready for qualifying.

The incident happened seven minutes left in FP3.

Russell tops the charts in FP3

With the third practice session, Mercedes' George Russell has finished it with the fastest time of the lot.

The Brit cleared fellow compatriot Lewis Hamiltion by six tenths of a second with a time of 1:19.053.

That will at least make the Kimi Antonelli news somewhat easier to swallow for team boss Toto Wolff.

Hamiltion's teammate Charles Leclerc rounds out the top three with Oscar Piastri behind him in fourth.

FP3 Top 10:

1. George Russell
2. Lewis Hamiltion
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Oscar Piastri
5. Isack Hadjar
6. Max Verstappen
7. Kimi Antonelli
8. Lando Norris
9. Gabriel Bortoleto
10. Ollie Bearman

Cadillac not off to the greatest start

Being the new kids on the block in the F1 world, Cadillac is still very much in the learning process of its cars.

And following some issues yesterday, those issues became very apparent.

During the first practice session, Sergio Perez would lose his right mirror whilst driving.

And then, the Mexican encountered hydraulics issues in the second practice session.

While Perez would lose his right mirror, co-driver Valterri Bottas lost his left mirror during Friday's action.

It's not the first time it's happened with Bottas having the right mirror during pre-season testing at Bahrain last month.

Hopefully that can put this all in the rear view mirror and set a blistering time.

Williams' issues continues

After Carlos Sainz was unable to move his car when entering the pit lane, co-driver Alex Albon would also come to a stop.

The Thai-British driver had to pull over between turn 4 and 5. However, he was able to get the car moving again.

He finds himself sitting in 14th.

P3 underway

The third practice session is underway and we've gotten a red flag.

Williams' Carlos Sainz was unable to get his car back into the pits following his out lap.

Racing as resume with the car now moved out of the pit lane entry.

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli currently leads the pack with a time of 1:20.324 at the halfway mark.