Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli's heavy crash in FP3 at the Australian GP has left his car with major damage, putting his participation in qualifying in serious jeopardy. The red-flag incident disrupted the session and now leaves his team with a frantic repair job ahead of the afternoon's qualifying hour.
In a dramatic about-face, the FIA reinstated the fourth DRS zone for the Australian GP just an hour after removing it, bowing to intense pressure and analysis from F1 teams and drivers. The zone will be used in final practice, with further evaluation to follow.
Formula 1 is not seeking replacement races if the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are canceled, which would cut the 2026 season to 22 races. A final safety-based decision is expected by March 20, following discussions with teams in Melbourne.
Max Verstappen had a scare in Australian GP practice, causing substantial damage to his Red Bull. Meanwhile, Aston Martin faces a critical battery shortage, and Mercedes showed surprising pace on a mixed Friday in Melbourne.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have launched official Lego sets of their 2025 race helmets. The collectibles, available from May 1, were revealed in Melbourne alongside unique, life-sized Lego replicas, marking a key expansion of Lego's Formula 1 merchandise.
Adrian Newey discloses that Honda's disastrous 2026 F1 season start stems from losing most of its experienced F1 workforce during its brief exit. Aston Martin was unaware of the scale of the brain drain until late 2025, leaving the partnership struggling with an inexperienced team developing a new engine under a budget cap.
Despite securing his maiden Formula 1 World Championship in 2025, McLaren's Lando Norris says his mentality remains that of a 'hunter' chasing success, not a champion being hunted. He emphasizes relentless self-improvement and maintaining high internal standards as key to tackling the fresh challenge of F1's 2026 regulatory reset.
Max Verstappen promises to push any car to its absolute limit, comparing it to driving a 'shopping trolley,' despite his strong criticism of F1's new technical regulations. He believes top driver talent will always prevail as the sport enters a new era.
Formula 1's new 2026 technical era begins with qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, as teams scramble to understand their true pace under major new regulations. Ferrari and McLaren showed speed in practice, but Mercedes' long-run pace looks strong, while new teams Audi and Cadillac make their race weekend debuts.
Qualifying for the 2026 F1 season opener in Australia starts at 16:00 local time (05:00 GMT), headlined by Lando Norris defending his 2025 pole and Oscar Piastri's bid to make history as the first Australian to claim pole at home. The session will feature a fierce battle among F1's top contenders, providing the first true test of the new competitive order.
Aston Martin has taken the unusual step of publicly warning that severe vibrations from its Honda power unit could cause permanent nerve damage to its drivers' hands. This safety declaration is a strategic bid to pressure the FIA into granting Honda an early and expensive exception to overhaul its troubled 2026 engine project outside of normal regulatory limits.
Motorsport.com invites fans to join its F1 Fantasy league to compete against our experts. With the 2026 season's new rules creating uncertainty, our writers reveal their strategic team picks for the opening round in Melbourne, highlighting the tough value decisions all players must make.
