F1 RESULTS TODAY: Mercedes fight back as Lewis Hamilton impres

F1 Results Today: Mercedes fight back as Lewis Hamilton impresses for Ferrari in Australian GP practice

By Hugo Harvey

The opening day of the 2026 Formula 1 season delivered plenty of intrigue and shifting momentum as teams took to the track for the first two practice sessions of the weekend at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Friday’s running at the Albert Park Circuit saw a dramatic change in pace between the two sessions, with Ferrari and Red Bull Racing dominating the opening session before Mercedes and McLaren surged back in the afternoon.

While practice results are rarely a true reflection of the competitive order due to varying fuel loads and engine settings, the early signs suggest that several teams could be in contention as the 2026 championship begins.

Ferrari enjoyed a particularly strong start in the first practice session, with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets. The Monegasque driver set a benchmark lap of 1:20.267 to finish ahead of his new teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was just under half a second slower but still comfortably inside the top two.

Hamilton’s performance was especially encouraging given the attention surrounding his highly anticipated debut season with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion appeared comfortable in the car throughout the session and consistently ran near the front as the teams began their preparations for qualifying and the race.

Behind the Ferrari pair, reigning world champion Max Verstappen placed third for Red Bull, just over half a second behind Leclerc’s benchmark time. Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar delivered a solid performance to take fourth place in FP1, while Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top five for Racing Bulls.

However, the competitive picture shifted significantly when the cars returned to the track for FP2.

In front of a passionate home crowd, Oscar Piastri produced a superb lap to go fastest in the second session with a time of 1:19.729. The Australian driver’s performance placed McLaren back at the front of the field after a relatively quiet showing earlier in the day.

Mercedes also appeared to unlock strong pace in the cooler evening conditions. Highly rated rookie Kimi Antonelli finished second, just 0.214 seconds behind Piastri, while teammate George Russell secured third place to complete a strong showing for the Brackley-based team.

Ferrari once again featured prominently near the front of the field, with Hamilton finishing fourth and Leclerc close behind in fifth. The narrow gap between the top five drivers suggested that the leading teams remain tightly matched heading into the remainder of the weekend.

Verstappen ended FP2 in sixth place after experiencing technical issues that limited his track time during the session. The Dutchman reportedly lost nearly half of the practice period while his Red Bull crew worked to resolve problems with the car.

Further down the order, McLaren’s other driver Lando Norris finished seventh, while Racing Bulls rookie Lindblad again impressed by claiming eighth place. Hadjar placed ninth for Red Bull, and Esteban Ocon completed the top ten for Haas.

The day proved far more difficult for Aston Martin, who endured a frustrating start to their weekend. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was unable to set a time in FP1 due to a power unit issue, leaving him significantly behind in terms of preparation.

Although Alonso eventually returned to the circuit in FP2, he finished near the bottom of the timesheets. His teammate Lance Stroll also struggled with reliability problems that ended his second session prematurely.

Elsewhere on the grid, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon continued adapting to their machinery at Williams, while Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto gathered valuable data for Alpine.

Audi’s new works project also began its first season with both cars running consistently through the sessions, with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto finishing in the midfield.

Meanwhile, the newly introduced Cadillac entry endured a challenging start, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez struggling for pace and reliability.

With the first two practice sessions now complete, teams will analyze the large amount of data gathered across the day as they refine their setups for the remainder of the weekend. Tire performance, long-run pace, and qualifying simulations will all play crucial roles in determining the competitive order.

If Friday’s dramatic swings in performance are any indication, the battle at the front of the field in 2026 could be one of the closest in recent memory. Ferrari’s encouraging start, Mercedes’ late-session pace, and McLaren’s headline time from Piastri have set the stage for an unpredictable fight when qualifying begins in Melbourne. 🏁🏎️

About The Author

Hugo Harvey

Hugo Harvey is a distinguished journalist, blogger, and publisher with a dynamic career that spans multiple areas of interest, from sports to entertainment. With a sharp eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Hugo has developed a reputation for delivering insightful and engaging content to his audience. His diverse interests make him a versatile writer, able to cover a wide range of topics with depth and clarity.

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