Motoring News

We’ve assessed the betting markets and made our Bet Builder selections for the Australian Grand Prix.

The Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1’s first race of 2026, is expected to be one of the most-watched F1 races in recent memory. 
New rules, new cars, new teams, new drivers: this isn’t an event to miss and will set the stage for the remaining 23 races this year. For the first time in a decade, a larger grid of 22 cars will contest the Australian GP.
Here is everything you need to know ...Keep reading

Cadillac’s first qualifying session in Formula 1 ended in a double Q1 exit at the Australian Grand Prix, with the American car’s flaws now obvious.
Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas failed to emerge out of Q1 in the newly named MAC-26 despite three drivers being unable to set a single lap time. They qualified down in 18th and 19th respectively, more than three seconds off the pace; Perez was ...Keep reading

Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz have branded the start of the Formula 1 season as "tough" as they discussed the reality of travelling from Australia to China, back to Europe, and then out to Japan.
The Australian Grand Prix kicks off the 2026 season this weekend and is part of a double-header with the Chinese Grand Prix, meaning the F1 paddock will pack up after the grand prix in Melbourne and head ...Keep reading

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson's long-term partner, Hannah St John, has caught the attention of Formula 1 fans after wearing a $350,000 Formula 1-inspired diamond necklace to the Glamour on the Grid event ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
At first glance, the unusual necklace looks like a tangle of diamonds, but on closer inspection, it becomes clear that each individual part is made up of ...Keep reading

Max Verstappen continued his longstanding criticism of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations by saying he feels “completely empty” after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.
The championship is debuting its latest overhaul this year and the current ruleset is arguably the most controversial in recent times, due to its increased reliance on electric power. 
That has an approximate 50:50 ...Keep reading

Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer has dampened some of Lewis Hamilton's optimism leading into the 2026 season, as he pointed to aspects of the cars under the new regulations that might not suit the seven-time champion.
Hamilton has been much more positive about the 2026 F1 season as he puts the ground effect era behind him. While Palmer noted that some areas of the new regulations will lean ...Keep reading

Alex Palou will roll off 10th for today’s Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway, and when he takes the green flag he’ll officially hit the century mark with 100 career starts in the IndyCar Series.
It has been a remarkable run for the Spaniard since entering North America’s premier open-wheel championship in 2020. Through his first 99 starts, he has racked up 20 wins that includes the 2025 ...Keep reading

Fernando Alonso was energised by the step forward made by Aston Martin during Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix as he came close to progressing to Q2, suggesting early signs of improvement.

Carlos Sainz was frustrated after he endured more disrupted running on Saturday, missing out on Qualifying entirely to leave him to start the Australian Grand Prix with significantly less running than his competitors.

Arvid Lindblad was left “extremely happy” after securing P9 in his first-ever F1 Qualifying session, with the rookie admitting that he “knew coming into the session that we were fast” as both Racing Bulls cars reached the top 10 in Australia.

1



George Russell (Mercedes)

 
 


 
 
 
 
 
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  Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)




3



Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

 
 


 
 
 
 
 
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Charles Leclerc ...Keep reading

This may be anecdotal given the Australian Grand Prix is just the first round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, but Isack Hadjar is the first driver to lead Max Verstappen in their qualifying head-to-head since Daniel Ricciardo early in the 2017 campaign.
That is largely down to Verstappen crashing out of Q1 in Melbourne with what may be a technical fault – Red Bull is “still trying to fully ...Keep reading

Following weeks of speculation of just how strong Mercedes would be, Australian Grand Prix qualifying finally gave customer team McLaren some much-needed clues on where it is lagging behind Formula 1's new dominant force.
As expected, Mercedes locked out the front row in Melbourne, with George Russell taking pole by three tenths over team-mate Kimi Antonelli and - more significantly - around ...Keep reading

A Formula 1 driver may be “passed by half the grid” at the start of the Australian Grand Prix if they race ‘stupidly’, reckons Ferrari star Charles Leclerc.
The championship is debuting its latest regulation overhaul this year with changes to both the chassis and power unit, which has vastly altered the way drivers go racing.
That’s largely because of the engine tweaks with it now ...Keep reading

McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella thinks Melbourne's Albert Park circuit "definitely exposes some of the weaknesses" in the 2026 regulations as drivers voiced fierce opposition to the new power unit regulations.
The new 2026 rules force drivers to heavily compromise their driving style to focus on electric energy saving. Following early warnings last year when drivers got a first ...Keep reading

Matt Youson takes a look at the different pit stop and tyre options that are available to the teams for the season opener at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.

Chris Medland picks out five key things to keep an eye on when the lights go out for the season opener at Albert Park in Melbourne.

The drivers and teams report back on all the action from final Practice and Qualifying in Melbourne for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.

Lando Norris went into 2026 as the reigning World Champion, but his early expectations for the season were lowered as he qualified on the third row for the Australian Grand Prix, leading him to blame a substantial list of issues he encountered.