F1 2026 Australia GP live: Qualifying start time, stream and schedule with Russell pole favourite – UK Times

Lewis Hamilton admits he “lost sight of who he was” amid a chastening first year at Ferrari but promised on the eve of the 2026 F1 season: “You won’t see that person again.”

The seven-time world champion, embarking on a record 20th consecutive season in Formula 1, endured his worst-ever campaign last year – his first in the scarlet red of Ferrari, in which he failed to even register a podium.

Yet buoyed by a promising testing window, which included Ferrari’s electric pace off the start-line, 41-year-old Hamilton was extremely upbeat ahead of this weekend’s season-opener on the streets of Albert Park.

Beyond the months of paddock mumbling and opaque pre-season testing statistics, perhaps the most pertinent evidence of Mercedes’ confidence ahead of the new Formula 1 season came with a strut and a swagger at a team “kick-off” event early on Thursday morning in Melbourne.

Hosted at Mercedes’s shiny AMG Lounge on the outside of turn 10 at Albert Park, 19-year-old driver Kimi Antonelli smiled and shook hands with the media gathered. And George Russell, in year five at the Silver Arrows and his second as de facto team leader, was equanimity personified as he shrugged off suggestions of “pressure” as this year’s F1 title favourite.

1. George Russell (Mercedes) 1:19.053

2. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.616

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.774

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.034

5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1.084

6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.144

7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.271

8. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.380

9. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) +1.405

10. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +1.725

“It happens so quickly, it just snaps. The rear of the car is probably off the ground for a moment in time and it just goes – it’s amazing how quickly it snaps.”

The 19-year-old lost control of his Mercedes car at turn one, driving over the car and spinning violently into the wall before being launched back onto the circuit.

Antonelli stated he was “OK” but the medical car was deployed, given the shunt was bigger than 25G.

Welcome to our live coverage of the first qualifying session of the season!

George Russell set the fastest-time by some margin in FP3 – and the title favourite looks to bt the No 1 contender today.

But it’s tight. Ferrari have impressed – what can Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton do?

Don’t count out the McLarens and Red Bulls, either.

It’s a brand new qualifying format with an 11th team on the grid. Six out in Q1, six out in Q2 with the top-10 battling for pole in Q3.

Expect plenty of drama this morning!

• Free practice 3: 1:30am
• Qualifying: 5am

Speaking in the FIA press conference on Friday, Newey doubled down on the issues Aston faces and detailed the toll the saga is taking on the team.

It’s probably been the toughest of the three tests this time around for Red Bull, who shone last week with their straight-line speed and engine reliability.

This week has been less straightforward. Isack Hadjar missed a host of time on day one, while Max Verstappen was third on the timesheet despite a full day in the cockpit on Thursday.

However, the margins between the top four seem extraordinarily tight. Second on the list last week, fourth now. On the Melbourne street circuit? We shall see.

The world champions do not have the dominance they held throughout most of the last two years. But they’re in the fight.

Of course, the papaya are using the Mercedes power unit, deemed to be the strongest on the grid. The mileage racked up by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – who interestingly split all three days this week – was also strong and both were consistently in the top-three throughout their sessions.

McLaren proved how strong their development window was over the last few years and that’ll be a crucial element through the early months of the season.

This week was Ferrari’s week. And that’s something we’ve not said about the Scuderia for a long time.

They brought new parts to Bahrain, including a radical flip rear wing that rotates itself upside down on Lewis Hamilton’s car on Thursday.

Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of the whole testing period on Friday, the only man in the 1:31s, while Hamilton’s practice race starts on Thursday, surging to the front from a midfield spot, were eye-catching. Optimism is slowly building.

The favourites at the start of testing, Mercedes remain the team to beat.

Consistently at the top of the timesheet, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have completed a host of laps – 157 in total on Thursday – and while murmurs off track about their engine and fuel-use continue to rumble, they look the best all-round package at the moment.

“The gaps between those at the front are already incredibly small,” Antonelli said. “And down to a matter of hundredths.” If that remains, we’re in for a hell of a season.