Piastri Puts McLaren on Top in Mercedes-Powered FP2 Dominance

Image: from Clasificando X @_Clasificando

MELBOURNE, AU — The “home turf” advantage proved decisive in the second practice session for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri surged to the top of the timing sheets on Friday, leading a McLaren resurgence and spearheading a Top 3 swept entirely by Mercedes-powered machinery.

Mercedes Power Takes Center Stage

After Ferrari dictated the pace in the opening session, FP2 revealed the burgeoning strength of the Mercedes power units under the sport’s new technical regulations. Kimi Antonelli, the highly-touted Mercedes rookie, delivered a stunning performance to finish second, trailing Piastri by just 0.214s and edging out his veteran teammate George Russell.

The session, held at the same time as Saturday’s scheduled qualifying, saw teams shift focus toward high-fuel race simulations and soft-tyre qualifying runs.

The fastest lap done in FP2
The clipping before turn 9 is absolutely insane pic.twitter.com/mae57JoE6u

— Holiness (@F1BigData) March 6, 2026

Red Bull Resilience and Aston Martin Crisis

Reigning champion Max Verstappen endured a turbulent afternoon. After his Red Bull-Ford engine cut out in the garage, the Dutchman later damaged his floor following a high-speed excursion through the gravel at Turn 10. Despite the setbacks, he managed to salvage the 6th fastest time.

The situation remains dire at Aston Martin. Both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso languished at the bottom of the table with persistent technical gremlins. Design legend Adrian Newey, now leading the team, expressed his frustration between sessions: “I feel helpless in the face of the issues presented by the Honda [power unit],” he admitted, highlighting the struggle to sync the Japanese manufacturer’s hardware with the new electrical standards.

Audi Recedes After Strong Start

After cracking the Top 10 in FP1, the Audi project faced a reality check in the afternoon. Nico Hülkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto dropped to 12th and 14th, respectively. Bortoleto spent much of the session on a long-run evaluation using medium tyres, gathering critical data for Sunday’s strategy.

FP2 Full Results: 2026 Australian GP

Notes from the Paddock:

• Cadillac Woes: Sergio Pérez failed to set a time, while Valtteri Bottas triggered a Virtual Safety Car due to sensor failure.

• Young Guns: Red Bull juniors Arvid Lindblad and Isack Hadjar continue to impress, maintaining a presence in the Top 10.