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Russell Dominates in Australia: First Pole for 2026 and Emphatic 1-2 for Mercedes

Published March 7, 2026, 09:17
Russell Dominates in Australia: First Pole for 2026 and Emphatic 1-2 for Mercedes

George Russell of Mercedes secured pole position at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix with a time of 1:18.518, ensuring an impressive 1-2 for his team, with Kimi Antonelli following. Max Verstappen of Red Bull crashed and will start from the last position. Mercedes demonstrated clear superiority in qualifying, with the gap to the competition reaching 0.8 seconds. Isaac Hajar took third place for Red Bull, while Charles Leclerc secured fourth for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was limited to seventh place.