0:00
0:00
Russell Sets Fastest Time in Final Australian Grand Prix Practice as Antonelli Crash Triggers Late Red Flag
Mercedes driver George Russell leads the final Formula One practice session in Melbourne while teammate Kimi Antonelli brings out the red flag after a heavy late crash.
George Russell delivered the fastest lap in the third and final practice session ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, placing Mercedes at the top of the timesheets in Melbourne just hours before qualifying.
The session at Albert Park ended with drama after a heavy crash involving Russell’s teammate, rookie Kimi Antonelli, brought out a late red flag.
Russell recorded a best lap of 1 minute 19.053 seconds, setting the pace during the closing moments of the session as teams completed their final preparations before qualifying.
Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed in second and third respectively, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri impressed in front of his home crowd with the fourth-fastest time.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar placed fifth, narrowly ahead of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, as teams continued to adjust to the new generation of Formula One cars introduced for the 2026 season.
The updated technical regulations have reshaped performance levels across the grid, increasing uncertainty ahead of the opening race of the championship.
The session was interrupted late on when Antonelli lost control of his Mercedes while beginning a quick lap and crashed heavily into the barriers at Turn 2. The impact triggered an immediate red flag and halted the session with only minutes remaining.
Despite the severity of the incident, the young Italian driver was able to walk away from the crash, though his car sustained significant damage.
Mercedes mechanics were immediately tasked with assessing the damage and working rapidly to prepare the car in time for qualifying later in the day.
The incident added tension to what had otherwise been a strong showing for the team in Melbourne.
Behind the leading group, the top ten was completed by Antonelli in seventh, McLaren’s Lando Norris in eighth, with the remainder of the midfield tightly packed as teams searched for optimal setups on the fast and technical Albert Park street circuit.
With lap times extremely close across the grid and teams still learning the characteristics of the new cars, the final practice session suggested a highly competitive qualifying battle ahead.
Russell’s performance underlined Mercedes’ strong early form as the 2026 Formula One season begins in Australia.
The session at Albert Park ended with drama after a heavy crash involving Russell’s teammate, rookie Kimi Antonelli, brought out a late red flag.
Russell recorded a best lap of 1 minute 19.053 seconds, setting the pace during the closing moments of the session as teams completed their final preparations before qualifying.
Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed in second and third respectively, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri impressed in front of his home crowd with the fourth-fastest time.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar placed fifth, narrowly ahead of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, as teams continued to adjust to the new generation of Formula One cars introduced for the 2026 season.
The updated technical regulations have reshaped performance levels across the grid, increasing uncertainty ahead of the opening race of the championship.
The session was interrupted late on when Antonelli lost control of his Mercedes while beginning a quick lap and crashed heavily into the barriers at Turn 2. The impact triggered an immediate red flag and halted the session with only minutes remaining.
Despite the severity of the incident, the young Italian driver was able to walk away from the crash, though his car sustained significant damage.
Mercedes mechanics were immediately tasked with assessing the damage and working rapidly to prepare the car in time for qualifying later in the day.
The incident added tension to what had otherwise been a strong showing for the team in Melbourne.
Behind the leading group, the top ten was completed by Antonelli in seventh, McLaren’s Lando Norris in eighth, with the remainder of the midfield tightly packed as teams searched for optimal setups on the fast and technical Albert Park street circuit.
With lap times extremely close across the grid and teams still learning the characteristics of the new cars, the final practice session suggested a highly competitive qualifying battle ahead.
Russell’s performance underlined Mercedes’ strong early form as the 2026 Formula One season begins in Australia.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
