Who took pole position for the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix?
George Russell (Mercedes) won pole position for the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix with a lap time of 1:18.518. This marked a Mercedes 1-2 in qualifying for the season-opening race at Albert Park, as confirmed by official Formula 1 reports and independent sources.[1][3][5]
### Official Qualifying Results (Top 10)
The full Q3 results, as detailed by Formula 1 and The Race, are as follows:
- Pos. 1: George Russell (Mercedes) 1:18.518
- Pos. 2: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 1:18.811
- Pos. 3: Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 1:19.303
- Pos. 4: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:19.327
- Pos. 5: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 1:19.380
Notable incidents included Max Verstappen (Red Bull) crashing out early and failing to set a time, starting from 20th, while Carlos Sainz (Williams) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) also did not set times.[1][3] Russell dominated all segments, posting his pole lap in Q3.[1][3][5]
Sources like Formula 1's official site and The Race provide lap-by-lap accounts and detailed results, aligning on timings and positions.[1][3][5]
