Third Free Practice Report & Results 2026 Australian F1 GP

Event: Australian Grand Prix
Track: Albert Park Circuit
Weather: Dry and sunny
Fastest Lap: 1:19.053 - George Russell
Notable incidents: Kimi Antonelli crashed while Aston Martin misses out

2026 Australian GP FP3: Russell Leads Disrupted Final Practice

Russell strikes late as Mercedes show pace

George Russell topped the final practice session for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit, setting the benchmark in a disrupted FP3 that ended with a heavy crash for Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.

After Friday’s sessions were shared between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, the final hour of preparation before qualifying delivered another twist in the story. Russell produced a stunning late lap to jump to the top of the timesheets ahead of Lewis Hamilton, while Leclerc and Piastri remained firmly in the mix.

However, the session’s biggest talking point was the dramatic crash for Antonelli, which triggered a red flag and left Mercedes facing a frantic rebuild ahead of qualifying.

Delayed start after earlier barrier repairs

The start of FP3 was pushed back following a Formula 3 crash earlier in the day, which left the barriers requiring repairs. With Albert Park being a temporary street circuit, such delays are not uncommon, but teams were eager to get running once the track reopened.

Conditions in Melbourne were close to ideal once the session finally began. Air temperatures hovered around 20°C, while the track warmed to 37°C, with virtually no wind to trouble the drivers. It meant the teams could push their final preparations for qualifying without too many external variables.

Despite the green light, several teams initially kept their cars in the garage, waiting for the circuit to rubber in before committing to serious running.

Early reliability concerns surface

Williams endured another tricky morning when Carlos Sainz’s car suddenly lost power, forcing the Spaniard to stop near the pit lane entry. The issue triggered a virtual safety car period while marshals recovered the stranded machine.

Team principal James Vowles later confirmed the problem was serious, suggesting a total systems shutdown.

“Suddenly everything died,” Vowles explained. “Even the clutch release wasn’t working. It could be within the ECU or another system in the pack.”

With only a few hours before qualifying, the Williams mechanics were left with a tight turnaround to fix the car.

The Grove outfit were not alone in dealing with problems. Aston Martin confirmed Lance Stroll would miss the entire session due to a suspected internal combustion engine issue, leaving Fernando Alonso to gather what data he could on his own.

Ferrari and McLaren trade early blows

As the session gathered momentum, attention quickly shifted to the expected front-runners.

Ferrari looked sharp once again, with Lewis Hamilton briefly taking the top spot with a lap of 1:20.176, narrowly ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc.

McLaren soon joined the party as Oscar Piastri, buoyed by the support of a packed home crowd, climbed to the top despite using soft tyres that were already several laps old. The margins were tiny, suggesting a tight fight at the front.

At that stage, the leading four teams appeared almost inseparable.

Russell, meanwhile, was running slightly older tyres and appeared to be on a heavier fuel load during the early phase, hinting that Mercedes were building towards a more serious qualifying simulation later in the session.

Antonelli shines before disaster strikes

One of the standout performers during the session’s middle phase was Kimi Antonelli.

The teenage Mercedes driver briefly topped the timesheets with a strong lap of 1:20.324, putting him ahead of Russell and underlining the impressive pace he had shown throughout the weekend.

Antonelli’s speed was particularly noteworthy given the expectation that Russell would lead Mercedes’ charge this 2026 F1 season. Instead, the rookie looked more than capable of challenging his experienced teammate.

Unfortunately, the momentum would not last.

Heavy crash halts the session

With just minutes remaining, Antonelli suffered a heavy crash at Turn 2, bringing out the red flags.

Replays showed the young Italian clipping slightly too much kerb on entry, which unsettled the rear of the car. At Albert Park, the walls sit close to the racing line, and with little runoff available, the Mercedes slammed into the barriers with significant force.

Thankfully, Antonelli climbed out of the wreckage unharmed, but the damage to the car appeared severe—particularly around the rear end.

The crash left Mercedes facing a race against time to repair the car before qualifying. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer suggested the rebuild could prove extremely challenging within the short window available.

Final dash as session resumes

After a lengthy cleanup, race control allowed the session to resume briefly, giving drivers just a handful of minutes to complete one final qualifying-style lap.

Predictably, the pit lane queue was enormous as nearly the entire field rushed out on soft tyres.

Lando Norris managed to squeeze in a push lap but was hampered by traffic, while others struggled to find clear air in the frantic closing moments.

Russell, however, delivered a stunning lap when it mattered most.

The Mercedes driver surged to the top of the timesheets, finishing six tenths clear of Hamilton despite encountering traffic during his run. Leclerc ended the session third, with Piastri fourth and impressive rookie Isack Hadjar completing the top five.

Max Verstappen finished sixth, just half a tenth behind his Red Bull teammate—an unusual sight given the Dutchman’s typical dominance within the team.

Tight midfield battle emerging

Further down the order, the midfield battle once again looked extremely close.

Nico Hülkenberg briefly broke into the top ten during a qualifying simulation run, hinting that Audi could be a serious contender in the midfield fight.

Meanwhile, both Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman also ended the session inside the top ten—although their positions came with the caveat that the late red flag prevented several drivers from completing their fastest laps.

Racing Bulls’ rookie Arvid Lindblad continued to impress as well, maintaining the strong form he had shown on Friday.

Williams and Alpine, however, appeared to be slightly further adrift as the teams prepared for the all-important qualifying session.

Qualifying promises fireworks

With three practice sessions now complete, the stage is set for a fascinating qualifying battle.

Each of the three sessions has been topped by a different driver—Leclerc in FP1, Piastri in FP2, and Russell in FP3—suggesting the fight for pole position could involve multiple teams.

Ferrari look consistently quick, Mercedes appear to have serious one-lap pace, and McLaren remain right in the mix with the hometown favourite Piastri.

And then there is Red Bull.

Despite a few minor gremlins so far this weekend, Max Verstappen can never be discounted, particularly when it comes to producing a special lap under pressure.

One thing is certain: after a dramatic and unpredictable final practice, qualifying for the 2026 Australian Grand Prix is shaping up to be a thriller.

FP3 Times Table 2026 Australian GP

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About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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