The start of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne marks the beginning of a technological turning point. With narrower cars and a powertrain that is half electric, the field began the first race weekend of the year. In doing so, the Australian Oscar Piastri sent a clear signal in his McLaren, taking the fastest time of the day in the second free practice with a lap of 1:19.729 minutes.
Surprisingly strong performance came from the Mercedes duo behind the local favourite. Rookie Kimi Antonelli took second place, just 0.214 seconds behind, closely followed by his teammate George Russell. The first practice session of the day had been led by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, who ended the day in fifth place behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Friday did not go as smoothly for the favourites. The reigning world champion Lando Norris complained of gearbox issues in the first session and could only manage seventh place in the final classification. Four-time champion Max Verstappen also had a mixed start: after delays in the pit lane and damage to the floor of his Red Bull, he finished the day in sixth place. The Aston Martin team was hit particularly hard, as their drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll only occupied the lower places following engine problems.
The new regulations, which included the removal of the DRS system in favour of a manual override mode, presented the teams with visible challenges in energy management. Despite some spins and brief interruptions, the feared chaos at the start of the season did not materialise.
