Mercedes dominate Melbourne
Mercedes delivered a 1-2 at the Australian GP — George Russell claimed victory and Kimi Antonelli finished second — putting the team top of the early drivers’ and constructors’ standings this season (sundayguardianlive.com)(infinitysport.asia).
The season‑opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 7, 2026 ran 58 laps; the official classification lists the winning time as 1:23:06.801 with a margin of 2.974 seconds to the runner‑up. (formula1.com) Both Mercedes cars pitted during the lap‑12 Virtual Safety Car triggered by a stopped Red Bull (Isack Hadjar) and completed a double‑stacked stop that flipped track position when Ferrari elected to stay out. (formula1.com) McLaren’s Oscar Piastri spun off en route to the grid and did not start the race, leaving Lando Norris as McLaren’s sole finisher in P5. (formula1.com) The official points from the race gave the winner 25 points and the second‑placed driver 18, yielding Mercedes 43 constructors’ points from round one and placing the team atop the early championship table. (formula1.com) Max Verstappen recovered from 20th on the grid to sixth following Hadjar’s retirement, while rookie Arvid Lindblad scored on debut with an eighth‑place finish. (formula1.com) Mercedes arrived in Melbourne with a front‑row lock‑out in qualifying, a pace advantage rivals described as “ominously fast,” prompting early warnings that the W17’s performance under the new 2026 regulations is a significant benchmark for the season. (mercedesamgf1.com)
