F1 Australia Practice 1: Leclerc storms ahead of Hamilton by 0.4 seconds in Melbourne P1
The wait is finally over as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc get Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 season started in Australia Practice 1.
After an entertaining first practice session of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc led the way with a 1:20.267, 0.469 seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton in 2nd. The two Ferrari drivers are obviously my main focus, with Hamilton and Leclerc both looking highly competitive in Practice 1 after an hour's worth of running. This is more than I could have asked for from the opening session, as I didn’t expect both of our drivers to be leading the way heading into Practice 2 in Melbourne.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s Melbourne Practice 1 Session Results
- Session Result: Charles Leclerc (1st), Lewis Hamilton (2nd)
- Fastest Lap: Charles Leclerc (1:20.267), Lewis Hamilton (1:20.736)
- Gap to Pole: Charles Leclerc (N/A), Lewis Hamilton (+0.4)
- Key Highlight: Leclerc fastest overall and had the fastest sector 3 (34.590)
- Weekend Prospects: It’s still early days, but heading into Practice 2 both Ferrari drivers look like front-runners this weekend.
Ferrari Look Competitive In Australia
I think we all hoped that Ferrari would be near the front of the grid in Melbourne, and after Practice 1, it seems like that will be the case. Of course, it’s still early days, but both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were at the front of the grid in practice. We kept both Red Bulls away for now, but Isack Hadjar was faster than I would have hoped, which is annoying from a Ferrari perspective. However, I still have faith in the huge experience advantage that both Hamilton and Leclerc have over the young RB driver.
Leclerc led the way for Ferrari, with the Monaco-born driver getting the fastest time overall and also the fastest sector 3 time with a 34.590. For reference, Hamilton’s fastest sector 3 time was a 34.681, so Leclerc found a considerable amount of time at the end of the lap compared to his Ferrari teammate. But there is still plenty of time for LH to find the pace in Melbourne in Practice 2 and Practice 3 before heading into Qualifying.
If you want to track all the Scuderia action across F1, F2, and F3 this weekend, make sure to check out my ultimate Ferrari fan’s guide to the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.
