Charles Leclerc was fastest in first practice for this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the Monacan set a 20.267, putting himself four and a half tenths faster than Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc’s fastest lap came at the end of the session, which passed without drama.
But it was a very busy hour as all twenty-two drivers were keen to maximise what little track time, they had to optimise 2026’s complicated machinery for Albert Park’s severe energy demands. Leclerc’s fastest time was nearly two seconds faster than his opening lap, but that’s to be expected at a street circuit.
Max Verstappen put his Red Bull third; the four-time champion was half a tenth behind the Ferrari duo as he went three tenths faster than his teammate Isack Hadjar. Hadjar had at one stage led the session, but had to settle for fourth, eight-tenths off the outright pace as he went three-tenths ahead of Arvid Lindblad.
Lindblad’s pace was the surprise of the session as his teammate Liam Lawson could only manage thirteenth, a second behind the British-Swede. Lindblad was three hundredths faster than Oscar Piastri; it was a problem-filled session for McLaren; the Melbournian lost power early on, leaving him a second off.
Things weren’t much better for world champion Lando Norris, his running limited to seven laps and the nineteenth fastest time, four seconds off because of gearshift issues.
George Russell put his Mercedes seventh fastest, the early title favourite half a hundredth ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, who was more than a second off Leclerc’s pace in seventh and eighth. Fuel loads and engine modes could have played their part, with this being a practice session.
Audi made a good start to life in F1, Gabriel Bortoletto going three tenths behind Antonelli as he went a quarter of a second faster than Nico Hulkenberg. The team formerly Sauber, underlined their status as best newbie, as they were both within the top ten by just under two tenths.
Esteban Ocon was eleventh, the Haas driver missed out on the top ten by just under two tenths as he went a tenth and a half faster than Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson’s Racing Bull, a further three tenths behind. His teammate Ollie Bearman was seven hundredths further behind.
Alex Albon was fifteenth but caused a late virtual safety car after grinding to a halt through Lakeside Drive with a suspected hydraulic leak. There were otherwise no major incidents, although Cadillac’s Sergio Perez suffered a scare when excessive engine braking sent him into a tailspin in Turn Four.
Franco Colapinto was sixteenth, Valtteri Bottas putting his Cadillac between the two Alpines. The Fin was seven tenths behind Colapinto as he went just over a hundredth further behind. Norris’s issues left him twentieth ahead of Sergio Perez, who spun off in the final moments.
A power unit issue left Lance Stroll twenty-first with Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso not running.
