George Russell knew his Mercedes was fast but was surprised by just how quick in Australian Grand Prix qualifying. Lando Norris was not so happy.

Check out the full report and results from FP3 at the 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella identified that plenty of lap time is still available for his team, as understanding is built about the Mercedes power unit. The Mercedes factory team was dominant in Australian Grand Prix qualifying,

Mercedes superstar George Russell begins his quest for a maiden F1 world championship as the 2026 season gets underway in Melbourne

Meet the new George Russell – the F1 title favourite ready to become a champion - F1 2026: Interview: The 28-year-old Briton is the F1 world championship favourite this season. Nobody scares him – not Max Verstappen,

Big rule changes mean this might be George Russell's year. Mercedes showed good pace in preseason, with Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli consistently among the fastest drivers, and racked up the most miles across the three tests.

In a season where there is more pressure for Russell to make a title push than ever, the Brit sounds fairly confident about his chances.

Britains George Russell is widely seen as the favourite for this years F1 Drivers Championship with new regulations in place; watch Fridays practice sessions for the Australian Grand Prix at 1.30am and 5am,