It’s time for the 2026 F1 Australian GP FP2 session at the Albert Park Circuit, with drivers getting ready to head out on track.
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in FP1, with a 1:20.267, as the 2026 grid completed their first laps of the new season. Though the session saw difficulties with several drivers bringing out yellow flags and going beyond track limits.
To start, rookie Arvid Lindblad stopped on the pit exit, while Oscar Piastri briefly experienced no power. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso missed FP1 due to a power issue, while Lando Norris’s session also came to an early end, as he suffered a gearbox problem. Later, Alex Alben brought out a VCS after stopping on track with a hydraulic issue on his Williams.
FP1 ended with a Ferrari 1-2 with Leclerc and Hamilton, followed by Verstappen, Hadjar, and Lindblad rounding off the top five.
Green light!
With the green light displayed, Hülkenberg was first to hit the track, followed by reigning World Champion Lando Norris. With drivers beginning their hot laps, Colapinto looked to get stuck in neutral while he stayed on the racing line, with Hamilton having to take avoiding action on one of his first laps.
Leaving the crowded pit lane, George Russell suffered front wing damage, trying to join the fast-lane queue while Lindblad moved ahead. In the meantime, Verstappen also came to a halt at the end of the pit lane, while Cadillac announced a sensor issue on Pérez’s car.
20 minutes into the session, George Russell sits at the top of the timesheets with a strong 1:20.049 time, with homehero Oscar Piastri behind in P2, and Antonelli in P3.
30 minutes remain
After stopping in the pit lane and not setting any lap times, Verstappen finally heads out on track halfway through the FP2 Australian GP session. Meanwhile, Perez still remains in the garage.
Notably, Haas’s Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman currently sit P5 and P6 on the timesheets. Though times continued to improve, with Antonelli claiming the top spot with a 1:19.943, while Russell locked up at Turn 3, going off into the gravel.
However, soon after, running on the soft tyres, Piastri found the fastest first sector, storming to the top as he went 0.214 seconds quicker than Antonelli.
Final moments
With 20 minutes left to go, drivers have made their way to the pits while Verstappen went to P6. Meanwhile, more drivers seem to be having trouble at Turn 3 as Hamilton locks up and bounces over the gravel.
The top five currently feature Piastri, Antonelli, Russell, Hamilton, and Leclerc. Further down the timesheet, Perez sits in P22 with no laps completed, while Sainz, who has completed only 10 laps, is watching on from the garage as Williams seems to be facing an issue.
In the meantime, with five minutes remaining, Perez finally made his way out on track. However, his first lap was cut short after Cadillac instructed him to stop due to another issue, triggering the first VSC of FP2 as 2026 Australian GP marshals moved to clear the car.
Piastri takes P1
At the FP2 chequered flag, Oscar Piastri leads the timesheets with a new benchmark time of 1:19.729. Antonelli and Russell complete the top three, followed by Hamilton and Leclerc. Further down, Verstappen, Norris, Lindblad, Hadjar, and Ocon round out the top 10.
