Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc headed team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to lead the first practice session of Formula 1’s new era that starts at the Australian Grand Prix.
Leclerc’s last-minute effort of 1m20.267s demoted team-mate Hamilton after a relatively uneventful first practice session of F1’s new regulations era.
Most teams wasted little time getting up to speed in Melbourne as they were keen to maximise what little track time they have to optimise 2026’s complicated machinery for Albert Park’s severe energy demands.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg was the first man out, though it was four-time world champion Verstappen who set a first lap time with some semblance of urgency – with laps initially around five seconds slower than last year.
Verstappen’s new team-mate Isack Hadjar soon cycled through to the lead, as did Ferrari’s Leclerc and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
There had been an early virtual safety car for Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad, who appeared to stall at pit exit, but there was more significant trouble for McLaren. Oscar Piastri reported “something was not right” with McLaren’s power delivery, reporting he was “idling, but I’ve got no throttle.”
Piastri’s team-mate Lando Norris also hit teething issues with dodgy gearshifts, with the team eventually curtailing his session after just seven laps to look into the gearbox. It would leave the reigning world champion down in 19th.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images
That was nothing compared to Aston Martin’s woes, as Fernando Alonso did not make it out on track after Honda encountered engine trouble. “We found a suspected power unit-related issue which will prevent car #14 from participating in FP1,” Honda said.
Team-mate Lance Stroll completed only three slow install laps to kick off what is set to be a brutal first weekend for the Aston Martin-Honda collaboration.
At the other end of the timetable Leclerc took over command with a 1m20.829s on softs, before being demoted by Verstappen’s 1.20.789s and then Hamilton. But right at the end of the session, Leclerc set a 1m20.267s to take over command after what was an encouraging start for Ferrari.
Hadjar was fourth behind Hamilton and Verstappen, ahead of a surprising Racing Bulls rookie Lindblad and Piastri.
Mercedes duo George Russell and Antonelli took seventh and eighth respectively, with Audi drivers Bortoleto and Hulkenberg rounding out the top 10.
Williams’s team-mate Alex Albon caused a late virtual safety car after grounding to a halt through Lakeside Drive with a suspected hydraulic leak. There were otherwise no major incidents, although Cadillac’s Sergio Perez suffered a scare when excessive engine braking sent him into a tailspin in Turn 4.
Perez and team-mate Valtteri Bottas made a respectable grand prix weekend debut for Cadillac, with F1’s 11th outfit just under four seconds off the frontrunners.
F1 Australian GP – FP1 results
Post
Driver
Car / Engine
Lap Time
Gap
Laps
1
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1m20.267s
33
2
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1m20.736s
0.469s
30
3
Max Verstappen
Red Bull/Red Bull Ford
1m20.789s
0.522s
27
4
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull/Red Bull Ford
1m21.087s
0.820s
24
5
Arvid Lindblad
Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford
1m21.313s
1.046s
22
6
Oscar Piastri
McLaren/Mercedes
1m21.342s
1.075s
21
7
George Russell
Mercedes
1m21.371s
1.104s
26
8
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1m21.376s
1.109s
24
9
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1m21.696s
1.429s
23
10
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1m21.969s
1.702s
21
11
Esteban Ocon
Haas/Ferrari
1m22.161s
1.894s
28
12
Carlos Sainz
Williams/Mercedes
1m22.323s
2.056s
30
13
Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford
1m22.613s
2.346s
28
14
Oliver Bearman
Haas/Ferrari
1m22.682s
2.415s
25
15
Alexander Albon
Williams/Mercedes
1m23.130s
2.863s
24
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine/Mercedes
1m23.325s
3.058s
26
17
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac/Ferrari
1m24.022s
3.755s
24
18
Pierre Gasly
Alpine/Mercedes
1m24.035s
3.768s
27
19
Lando Norris
McLaren/Mercedes
1m24.391s
4.124s
7
20
Sergio Perez
Cadillac/Ferrari
1m24.620s
4.353s
14
21
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin/Honda
1m50.334s
30.067s
3
22
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin/Honda
No time
–
0
Photos from Australian GP – Friday
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
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Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
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Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
Australian GP – Friday, in photos
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