George Russell delivered a commanding performance to top the third and final practice session for the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, edging out Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli endured a heavy crash.
Russell, the pre-season title favorite, posted the fastest lap of 1:19.053 on soft tires in the dying moments of the twice red-flagged session, pipping Hamilton by 0.616 seconds as teams adapt to new engine and chassis rules emphasizing electrical energy management.
Session Disrupted by Incidents
The practice began 20 minutes late due to debris from a Formula 3 sprint race collision. Early action halted again when Williams’ Carlos Sainz lost power after one lap entering the pits, sidelining him for eight minutes while marshals cleared the track.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto ran first on hards, but Hamilton set the initial pace on softs at 1:20.572. Antonelli quickly surged ahead, only for Hamilton to reclaim top spot, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, and Antonelli.
Leclerc and Piastri exchanged quickest times with 20 minutes left until Antonelli plowed into the Turn 2 barriers, demolishing his Mercedes and triggering the second red flag.
The 18-year-old climbed from the wreckage unharmed and confirmed, “I’m okay.”
Track cleared with three minutes to go, allowing Russell to blast to the fastest time, with Hamilton closing strongly for second.
Top 10 Finishers
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:19.053
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.616s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
Defending champion Lando Norris settled for eighth after Friday’s transmission woes. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll stayed in the garage, while Fernando Alonso managed 20 laps to place 18th amid Honda power unit vibration problems. Piastri and Leclerc led Friday practices.
