The worst-kept secret in the Formula 1 paddock over the past year was that when the 2026 season began and the new regulations went into effect, Mercedes would be at the front of the field.
The first race weekend of the 2026 season confirmed that belief.
After Mercedes locked out the front row in qualifying on Saturday, with George Russell taking pole position ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, the pair delivered another front-row lockout in the Australian Grand Prix itself. The pair navigated a tough challenge put forth by the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, and Antonelli overcame a brutally-slow start off the line, to open the 2026
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