Image: from Team George Russell Br X @teamgeorgerllbr
By Open Chronicle Sports
MELBOURNE — George Russell delivered a statement of intent at Albert Park on Friday, clocking a blistering 1’19.053 to top the final practice session for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. In a session defined by two red flags and a high-stakes four-minute sprint to the finish, Russell’s Mercedes showed a clear performance advantage, gapping the field by over six-tenths of a second.
While the Silver Arrows celebrated the top spot, the garage remains a hive of activity following a massive rear-impact crash by rookie Kimi Antonelli at Turn 2. Despite the shunt, Antonelli’s earlier pace was enough to secure the 7th fastest time of the session.
The Silver Arrow vs. The Prancing Horse
The battle at the front appears to be a duel between Mercedes and Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, in his second season with the Scuderia, claimed the second-fastest time (1’19.669), narrowly edging out teammate Charles Leclerc. However, both Ferraris remained more than half a second adrift of Russell’s benchmark, suggesting Mercedes has found a “sweet spot” in the Melbourne setup.
New Guard Rising
The 2026 grid’s infusion of young talent was on full display during the chaotic closing moments:
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Isack Hadjar impressed for Red Bull, finishing 5th and outqualifying his veteran teammate Max Verstappen, who struggled with traffic to finish 6th.
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Gabriel Bortoleto continued his strong form for Audi, breaking into the top ten with a 1’20.459, besting experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg by over half a second.
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Arvid Lindblad and Oliver Bearman both secured top-11 spots, proving that the next generation is ready to challenge the established order.
Struggle at the Back
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the transition to new power unit regulations and team identities seems to be a steep climb for some. The Cadillac/Ferrari entries of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez languished at the bottom of the timing charts, over four seconds off the lead pace. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz failed to set a time after his Williams suffered a mechanical failure early in the session.
F1 2026 Australian GP – Free Practice 3 Results
1) George Russell (Mercedes), 1’19.053
2) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 1’19.669
3) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 1’19.827
4) Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’20.087
5) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford), 1’20.137
6) Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford), 1’20.197
7) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 1’20.324
8) Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes), 1’20.443
9) Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 1’20.459
10) Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari), 1’20.778
11) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford), 1’20.838
12) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford), 1’20.890
13) Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari), 1’20.983
14) Nico Hülkenberg (Audi), 1’21.067
15) Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Mercedes), 1’21.071
16) Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Mercedes), 1’21.413
17) Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes), 1’21.664
18) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Honda), 1’22.720
19) Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac/Ferrari), 1’23.514
20) Sergio Pérez (Cadillac/Ferrari), 1’24.397
21) Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes), s/tempo