Formula One’s most glamorous season opener is under way in Melbourne, and the stars of the paddock are not only found behind the wheel.
As the sport’s most significant regulation overhaul in a generation transforms the cars lining up at Albert Park this weekend, the partners and families of the grid’s biggest names have descended on one of the world’s most liveable cities for what promises to be a spectacular season launch.
From a newly married Ferrari driver to a home hero supported by his entire family, the stories off the track are every bit as compelling as those on it.
Albert Park plays host to the 2026 Australian Grand Prix from March 6 to 8, with race day set for Sunday afternoon, and the paddock has been buzzing with familiar faces since the gates opened on Friday morning.
The likes of Rebecca Donaldson, Lily Zneimer, Alexandra Leclerc and Isabela Bernardini have all made the journey to Melbourne, bringing their own star power to a city already electric with anticipation.
Here, we take a closer look at the women who have stolen the spotlight on the opening day of a new Formula One era.
Oscar Piastri (Australia)
Australian hope Oscar Piastri walks the paddock in Melbourne with girlfriend Lily Zneimer
Piastri is greeted by his mother Nicole who brought the whole family along to support her son
Piastri’s sister Hattie Piastri looks on before the practice session in Melbourne this afternoon
Nicole and Edie Piastri pose for a selfie with a fan on the Melbourne Walk prior to practice
Piastri’s family pose for a photo in the F1 Paddock ahead of the first practice session
Australia’s great hope in Melbourne is Oscar Piastri and he has a strong support network behind him, including girlfriend Lily Zneimer.
The couple have been together since they were both 17, making theirs one of the most enduring romances in the F1 paddock.
The pair met at Haileybury College, a boarding school in Hertford, England, connecting in their second-to-last year of school.
Oscar has described Lily as a grounding force, saying she has been there from the start, from single-seaters to Formula One, a constant in what is quite a manic world.
The couple deliberately keep their relationship out of the spotlight, with Oscar explaining they try to live normal lives rather than draw attention to themselves.
Lily is an engineering graduate with ambitions of her own in motorsport, and reports emerged in 2025 that McLaren had taken her on as a race engineering intern.
On the family front, Oscar grew up in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton, raised by his mother Nicole alongside his three younger sisters, Hattie, Edie, and Mae.
Nicole has become something of a fan favourite in her own right, amassing over 150,000 followers on X thanks to her sharp humour and wholehearted support of Oscar’s career, even if some of her most viral moments have come at his expense.
Liam Lawson (New Zealand)
New Zealand’s Liam Lawson arrives in Melbourne with partner Hannah St. John as he prepares to make an impression with Racing Bulls
Kiwi Liam Lawson has been dating Hannah St. John, a Californian from Newport Beach, since October 2022, with the couple celebrating their relationship through the highs and lows of his rollercoaster F1 journey.
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and is described as both a model and an aspiring medical professional, carving out her own ambitious path alongside her support of Liam’s career.
The couple are notably more open on social media than many F1 pairs, sharing vlogs on YouTube and affectionate posts on Instagram, which has earned them a dedicated and loyal following among fans.
Hannah has not been a constant paddock presence due to her academic commitments, but makes a point of attending American races, and the two have also been spotted together at festivals like Stagecoach in California.
Hannah introduced Liam to country music and her brother got him hooked on the NFL, with Lawson becoming a Kansas City Chiefs supporter ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
When Liam was abruptly dropped by Red Bull after just two races of the 2025 season, Hannah publicly showed her support on social media, underlining the steadying role she plays in what has been a turbulent start to his top-flight F1 career.
Charles Leclerc (Monaco)
The Ferrari driver married his partner Alexandra Saint Mleux just before the 2026 season
Leclerc’s wife was all smiles as she walked the paddock in Melbourne on Friday before practice
Unfortunately there was no sign of the couple’s dachshund Leo in Melbourne this year
Charles Leclerc married his long-term partner Alexandra Saint Mleux on 28 February 2026 in a private civil ceremony in Monaco, just days before the start of the new Formula 1 season.
Charles proposed to Alexandra in November 2025 with the help of their beloved dachshund Leo, who wore a dog tag reading ‘Dad wants to marry you,’ accompanied by cookies iced with ‘We’re getting married’ and a heart made of roses and candles.
Alexandra, now going by Alexandra Leclerc, works as an art coordinator and public relations lead at Kamil Art Gallery in Monaco and has also built a strong following as an influencer and fashion figure.
The couple have described the February celebration as ‘part one,’ with a larger second ceremony planned for the following year with all of their closest family and friends.
Unfortunately there was no sign of Leo in Australia, although he was present in Mexico.
Gabriel Bortoleto (Brazil)
Gabriel Bortoleto’s partner Isabela Bernardini walks the paddock in Melbourne on Friday
Bortoleto and Bernardini famously keep their relationship private, with the Brazillian star opting to sign autographs for fans
Gabriel Bortoleto and Isabela Bernardini have been together since 2020, making theirs one of the longer-standing relationships among the current F1 grid.
Both are Brazilian and hail from São Paulo. Isabela is a computer science student specialising in cybersecurity at a university in Eindhoven, Netherlands, carving out her own ambitious path while supporting Gabriel’s racing career from the sidelines.
The couple are known for keeping things deliberately private, though Isabela has been a steady presence at key milestones, from the F2 championship celebration in Kigali to paddock appearances throughout his debut F1 season, and was even by his side at the F1 movie premiere in the United States.
Carlos Sainz (Spain)
Carlos Sainz and his glamorous model partner Rebecca Donaldson arrive at the Melbourne paddock on Friday
Sainz has been persistently quizzed on when he is going to pop the question to his longterm partner
Carlos Sainz and Rebecca Donaldson have been together since 2023, reportedly meeting when Donaldson appeared as the featured model in an ad campaign for the Ferrari Roma Spider, the very car Sainz was driving at the time.
Rebecca is a Scottish model and entrepreneur, born in Scone, Perthshire, who first entered the industry after winning a modeling competition at 17 and has since graced the covers of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar.
The couple are considered one of the most stylish pairings in the paddock, with Rebecca a regular presence at race weekends and Carlos a devoted Instagram boyfriend, often leaving heart emoji comments on her posts.
Marriage rumours have swirled consistently, with Carlos once hinting at the question by saying his current girlfriend was who he would marry in Vegas, while his father Carlos Sainz Sr. has also publicly mused about his son choosing the right person to start a family with.
