Good morning, good afternoon, good evening! Formula 1 is back for the 2026 season, and we return to a sunny Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. With the first free practice over, all 22 drivers have a sense of how this new era may pan out. Unfortunately for some, issues have arisen immediately. There’s a lot to unpack from the first session of the year, so let’s look at what happened during FP1.
The Hunter becomes the Hunted
McLaren and Lando Norris enter the 2026 season riding off last years glory. Two consecutive constructors titles mean they are favourites to be competitive this season. Norris is now banding the number 1 on his car, becoming a target for the other 21 drivers on the grid. It is clear however that the start of the 2026 season wont be as smooth as last year. Norris spent about 6 minutes on the circuit before coming in, complaining on the radio.
“Downshifts are shocking, all shifts. Something doesn’t feel right” – Norris tells his race engineer
As the session began, panic arrived as Oscar Piastri reported having no power. Though he did manage to get moving again, it was clear that the new power units would be something the teams will need to master. The team were able to make changes to allow Piastri to participate. He ended FP1 only 6th fastest.
However, Norris’ session was ended prematurely with 20 minutes remaining from a gearbox issue. The team made the decision for him to not complete FP1 so that they could focus on resolutions ahead of FP2 later.
All eyes on the New Kids
FP1 was the first time that Cadillac could shine, and while they weren’t expecting to be among the top runners, their initial performance left much to be anticipated. Both Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas lost a wing mirror during the session (by no fault of their own), and Perez suffered a large spin at turn 3. He was lucky to drive away with minor damage to the car, but as the only spin of the session, its a concerning start for the American team.
Audi come to F1 with their own engine, which bought initial scepticism. However, Free Practice would suggest that the team have managed to get it right. Their session was very positive, despite a few lockups from Nico Hulkenburg. The session remained uneventful but the duo concluded FP1 at in P9 and P10.
Arvid Lindblad had a less than ideal start to his Formula 1 career. The Brit hadn’t made it out of the pitlane when he stalled his car. Marshalls pushed his car back towards the garage, allowing him to get another go later in the session. Once he was back out, he truly came alive, finishing just two tenths behind Hadjar in P5.
Early Problems for Aston Martin
Aston Martin come to Melbourne this weekend with little expectations. From testing, they are struggling with their car, both in terms of pace and durability. The key for Aston Martin will be to rectify the errors on the car, so they are not looking to compete closely this weekend.
During this free practice session, Lance Stroll’s initial lap time on the hard tyres was significantly off the pace created by the rest of the grid. This ended up being his only lap of the session, as he too ended his session early. 30 seconds off the pace of P1 by the end of FP1. Fernando Alonso opted to not participate in practice at all.
It wasn’t just Aston Martin and McLaren suffering this session. A Virtual Safety Car was raised with about 10 minutes of FP1 remaining after Alex Albon took his Williams to the runoff at turn 10. He seemed to suffer some sort of power issue so was forced to stop the car.
Many Drivers Finding Pace
It’s a positive start to the weekend for many, but particularly for Ferrari. Having had one of their worst seasons last year, 2026 is starting off more positive. Charles Leclerc wasted no time heading out on track during FP1 and he immediately put his Scuderia Ferrari to the top of the time table. When battled for the fastest lap, he continuously managed to produce one even quicker.
His teammate Lewis Hamilton shared the momentum, nailing his laps and eventually stealing the top spot from Leclerc. By the end of the session, they remained unbeaten, with Leclerc siting fastest with a 1:20.267 and Hamilton 0.469s behind him.
George Russell has been named by many as the favourite to win this years championship, but based on his performance during FP1, it might not be as easy. Despite not being lightening fast, his laps still looked generally tidy, having no major problems during the session. His teammate Kimi Antonelli similarly had a tidy free practice in Melbourne. A few lock-ups greeted the Italian during his run, but his overall lap times were consistent. The duo finished 7th and 8th.
The Red Bull drivers ended FP1 sat in P3 and P4. Isack Hadjar took his step up to the second Red Bull seat with great stride, producing some brilliant laps during the session and fighting for the top spot. It would suggest that the Frenchman might be able to compete alongside his champion teammate Max Verstappen.