Ferrari dominates Melbourne practice: Leclerc claims first place

Ferrari made a strong statement on the opening day of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets in Free Practice 1 (FP1) at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The Monegasque driver set a benchmark lap of **1:20.267** on soft tyres late in the session, securing a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of new teammate Lewis Hamilton (+0.469s) and Red Bull's Max Verstappen (+0.522s).

The session marked the first competitive on-track running under the radical 2026 regulations, featuring heavily revised power units (with increased electrical power and sustainable fuels), active aerodynamics, and smaller cars. Teams faced a mix of reliability gremlins and adaptation challenges, but Ferrari appeared to have hit the ground running after promising pre-season testing.

FP1 Key Highlights

Leclerc and Hamilton dominated much of the hour, trading times at the top as the field worked through installation laps, medium-tyre runs, and eventual soft-tyre qualifying simulations. Leclerc's late flyer proved untouchable, with the Scuderia logging high lap counts (Leclerc 33, Hamilton 30) and showing strong long-run potential.

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• Top 5 FP1 Times (as reported across multiple sources including Formula1.com, The Race, and Autosport):

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:20.267 (33 laps)

2. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.469s (30 laps)

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.522s

4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +0.820s

5. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +1.046s

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) finished sixth (+1.075s), but the session was tougher for the reigning constructors' champions. Lando Norris managed only a handful of laps due to a suspected gearbox issue, while Aston Martin endured a nightmare with both cars completing just three laps combined amid technical troubles.

Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell were further back in the top 10, suggesting room for improvement as teams dial in setups.

Afternoon Session (FP2)

The pace stepped up in FP2, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri setting the fastest time of the day at 1:19.72. Mercedes showed stronger form, with Antonelli second (+0.214s) and Russell third (+0.320s). Hamilton was fourth (+0.321s), Leclerc fifth (+0.562s), and Verstappen sixth after an off-track excursion.

Ferrari remained competitive but ceded the top spot, highlighting the tight spread expected under the new rules. Qualifying and Practice 3 are set for March 7 (local time), with the race on March 8.

Leclerc praised the car's balance post-session, noting Ferrari's winter work had paid dividends in cornering and tyre management on Albert Park's demanding layout. With the season opener kicking off under sunny conditions, the Australian Grand Prix promises an intriguing battle as teams continue to unlock the 2026 machines' potential. Fans can look forward to more action as the grid settles into the new era.