Charles Leclerc, driver for Ferrari, has acknowledged that Mercedes displayed impressive pace during the practice sessions for the Australian Grand Prix, solidifying their position as potential title favorites for the 2026 season. This assessment comes despite Mercedes not topping the timesheets during the two practice sessions on Friday.
Leclerc, who achieved the fastest time in the first practice session, observed that although Ferrari performed well, especially in the initial hour of running, Mercedes showcased strong race-run capabilities. In the second practice, Leclerc finished fifth, trailing behind Lewis Hamilton, who was also optimistic about the team’s performance. “It seems that Mercedes is very strong. They might not have shown everything in low fuel settings, but their high fuel performance was notably impressive,” Leclerc stated in an interview after the session.
Pre-season testing had positioned Ferrari as the primary challengers to Mercedes, a sentiment echoed by Hamilton. He described his day on track as productive, despite facing challenges, stating, “It was great to be back and we maximized our laps and executed well. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m looking forward to getting back in the car tomorrow.”
George Russell, driving for Mercedes, finished third in the second practice and emphasized the need for improvement as the team prepares for qualifying. He noted that the first session was particularly tough, hampered by issues optimizing battery performance. Russell expressed confidence that adjustments made during the second session set them up favorably for the rest of the weekend.
Meanwhile, reigning world champion Lando Norris found himself in a challenging position, finishing over a second slower than his teammate Oscar Piastri in the second practice. Norris admitted to facing reliability issues earlier in the day and acknowledged the importance of maximizing their setup before the next sessions.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle summarized the day’s performances, emphasizing the visible competitive edge between teams, particularly highlighting Mercedes and Ferrari, while also noting the unpredictability of race outcomes.
In the realm of the season ahead, teams are navigating through minor struggles, with Max Verstappen of Red Bull also facing difficulties during practice. Though his team appeared less competitive, Verstappen remained focused on improving their performance.
As the teams gear up for qualifying, the excitement surrounding the Australian Grand Prix sets the stage for what could be a thrilling start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.