Leclerc leads early as Russell wins Australian GP
Charles Leclerc briefly led the opening race of the 2026 Formula One season but finished third as George Russell claimed victory in Australia.
Charles Leclerc briefly led the opening race of the 2026 season but finished third at the Australian Grand Prix as George Russell secured victory for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
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Starting fourth, Leclerc surged into the lead at the first corner and traded positions with Russell during an intense opening battle.
However, Ferrari lacked the pace later in the race, with Leclerc finishing 15.5 seconds behind the winner.
Team-mate Lewis Hamilton took fourth.
Mercedes completed a 1-2 finish with rookie Kimi Antonelli in second.
Lando Norris finished fifth, ahead of Max Verstappen.
The Formula One season now heads to the Chinese Grand Prix from 13–15 March, the first Sprint weekend of the year.