P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 results: Final classification with penalties applied
The 2026 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne concluded with George Russell securing a race victory for Mercedes on hard tyres, followed by team-mate Kimi Antonelli in second and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in third.
Max Verstappen impressively climbed from a P20 start to finish sixth in a disappointing weekend for Red Bull, while his new team-mate Isack Hadjar retired due to a technical failure after qualifying in P3.
The fastest lap of the race was set by Max Verstappen at 1:22.091 on lap 43, as confirmed by the FIA for the Australian Grand Prix.
The next F1 race is set to take place in Shanghai on March 15 for the Chinese Grand Prix, marking a quick turnaround after the season opener in Melbourne.
