Australian GP qualifying result as Max Verstappen crashes and Mercedes star faces penaltyGeorge Russell took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen crashed out in Q1, while the Brit's Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli could be in line for a grid penaltyView Image Max Verstappen suffered a dramatic crash in qualifying in Melbourne (Image: AFP via Getty Images)George Russell delivered on the pre-season expectations with a commanding qualifying display to claim pole position for the Australian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, one of those who hopes to challenge him for the Formula 1 title this season suffered an early setback as Max Verstappen crashed out before he even had the opportunity to complete one flying lap. But no-one ever appeared likely to prevent the Mercedes cars and Russell in particular, who topped the timesheets in final practice and converted that into pole. Antonelli's dramatic day continued, Mercedes leaving two cooling components on his car when he departed the garage. *Antonelli is under investigation by the stewards for a pit lane infringement and also for an unsafe release during qualifying.

Source: Daily Mirror March 07, 2026 08:41 UTC