2026 Australian Grand Prix Day 1

15 minutes ago
2 min read

The proper 2026 Formula 1 season is finally upon us, with the first day of the Australian Grand Prix weekend behind us. Having watched both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2, from my perspective it appears as though Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull are all up there near the top, but I'm not sure yet about a definite pecking order. Each had at least a bit of time looking strong, though I feel like Mercedes and Ferrari seemed more consistently up there. At one point in FP2 I was observing the two Mercedes drivers some fractions of a second up on Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari, but I noted that the Mercs were both on softs while Hamilton was on hard. I don't feel that we'll really get a good feel for who is truly on top, runner-up, third, and fourth best until later today with Free Practice 3 and especially Qualifying.

FP1 and FP2 weren't without drama, as different drivers suffered mechanical unreliability. This is surely to be expected, as we're starting a new era of new regulations, with different chassis and very different power units. I expect woes up front but that they will be ironed out over time.

I am happy to see Audi and Cadillac represented in Formula 1. I am happy as well about the inclusion of Ford, although there isn't a Ford team. They're at least powering Red Bull, and the blue oval is slapped on the side of their car, although not nearly as prominent as the Audi logo on their cars. Honda is also present in the sport, powering the Aston Martin machines. It brings me some joy seeing several of the world's car companies involved in Formula 1, whether as a factory team or as an engine supplier, and I hope this continues for quite some time.

Free Practice 1 standings appear as follows:

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Max Verstappen, Red Bull

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull

Arvid Lindbad, Racing Bulls

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

George Russell, Mercedes

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi

Nico Hulkenburg, Audi

Esteban Ocon, Haas

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Oliver Bearman, Haas

Alex Albon, Williams

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sergio Perez, Cadillac

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

Free Practice 2 standings appear as follows: