F1 Australian GP Free Practice 2 Classification
Here is the complete classification at the end of Free Practice 2 of the 2026 F1 Australian GP:
Read more Piastri on top: “We are aiming for the front rows. Pole? I don’t know if we can do it”
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Gaps and tires | Laps |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:19.729 (S) | 26 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.214 (S) | 31 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.320 (S) | 28 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.321 (S) | 32 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.562 (S) | 30 |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.637 (S) | 13 |
| 7 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +1.065 (S) | 29 |
| 8 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.193 (S) | 30 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | +1.212 (S) | 28 |
| 10 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | +1.450 (S) | 29 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | +1.597 (S) | 31 |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.622 (S) | 34 |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +1.629 (S) | 29 |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.939 (S) | 28 |
| 15 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +2.118 (S) | 32 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.438 (S) | 16 |
| 17 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.524 (S) | 10 |
| 18 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +2.890 (S) | 27 |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +3.931 (S) | 28 |
| 20 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +4.933 (S) | 18 |
| 21 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +6.087 (S) | 13 |
| 22 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 2 |
FP2 Report from Melbourne
Ferrari calls, the Mercedes-powered cars respond. After Ferrari’s supremacy in FP1, the second free practice session in Melbourne saw the response of the cars powered by the power units made in Brixworth. McLaren set the fastest time, which perhaps was talked about too little this winter, with local hero Oscar Piastri who finished two-tenths ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes. The Brackley car, considered by everyone as the season favorite, also placed George Russell on the virtual podium, 320 thousandths behind Piastri’s time.
The Englishman finished FP2 with a single thousandth of an advantage over his compatriot and former teammate Lewis Hamilton, who this time was able to stay ahead of Charles Leclerc, ‘only’ fifth. Completing the top-10 were Verstappen, Norris, an excellent Lindblad, Hadjar, and Ocon, the latter with a Haas that is still quite convincing. At the opposite end of the grid, the teams most evidently in difficulty are Aston Martin and Cadillac. Significant for the newcomers on the grid is the fact that Sergio Perez failed to complete even one timed lap. The Mexican remained in the pits for a long time and when he took to the track he had to park his MAC-26 on the grass almost immediately.
Read more Alonso: “We are stuck at square one because of Honda’s problems, they don’t have spare parts”
F1 2026 Australian GP, Live and Free Practice 2 Classification
You can relive the emotions of the first free practice session in Australia with our live report.
Weekend Schedule
F1 returns to the track tomorrow in the Italian morning, with FP3 at 2:30 and the highly anticipated qualifying at 6:00 in the morning. Sunday, March 8, instead, will be the time for another early wake-up call, with the Australian GP finally opening the 2026 F1 World Championship and starting at 5:00 in the morning. Here are all the weekend times with details of the television coverage
Read more Hamilton: “I won’t retire before I’ve raced in a GP in Africa”
