Australian GP F1: Russell Wins, Leclerc 3rd – Results & Updates 2024
George Russell of Mercedes secured a commanding victory at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on , opening the Formula 1 season in emphatic style. The win marks Russell’s sixth career triumph and his first since the Singapore Grand Prix in October. He converted pole position into a decisive race win, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes with teammate Kimi Antonelli finishing second.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium in third, continuing a promising start to the season for the Italian team. The result sees Russell take the early lead in the drivers’ championship, the first time a Mercedes driver has topped the standings since Lewis Hamilton at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix.
The race at Albert Park proved to be a thrilling contest, with Russell and Leclerc engaging in multiple overtakes for the lead in the early stages. The new regulations introduced for the 2026 season were a talking point, with Leclerc acknowledging the challenges they presented. “It was a very tricky race,” he said, “It’s been quite challenging.”
Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, finished fourth, still searching for his first podium finish with the team. Despite not reaching the podium, it was his fourth fourth-place finish since joining the Scuderia. Reigning drivers’ champion Lando Norris of McLaren finished fifth, one position ahead of a charging Max Verstappen, who started the race in 20th position.
The Australian Grand Prix saw six drivers fail to finish the race, including Oscar Piastri, who crashed on his way to the grid before the race even began. The high attrition rate underscored the demanding nature of the Albert Park circuit and the challenges posed by the new regulations.
The event itself was a resounding success, selling out for the first time in its history and setting a new attendance record for the weekend, with 452,055 spectators witnessing the action. The 2024 Australian Grand Prix, held on , saw Carlos Sainz Jr. Of Ferrari win the race, remarkably just two weeks after undergoing an appendectomy that forced him to miss the preceding Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sainz’s victory ended Max Verstappen’s streak of nine consecutive wins.
Sainz’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished second in that 2024 race, securing Ferrari’s first 1-2 finish since the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. Lando Norris completed the podium, surpassing Nick Heidfeld’s record for the most podium finishes without a win in Formula One, a record he would later break himself at the Miami Grand Prix later in the season.
The 2024 Australian Grand Prix was the third round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship, taking place at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Victoria. The race distance was 58 laps, covering a total of 306.124 kilometers (190.217 miles) on the 5.278 km (3.280 miles) street circuit. Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:19.813 on lap 56, also establishing a new lap record for the circuit.
The race featured a dramatic qualifying session, with Max Verstappen securing pole position with a time of 1:15.915. However, his race was short-lived, as he was forced to retire on lap four, bringing an end to his impressive winning streak. The 2024 event marked the 27th time the Australian Grand Prix has been held at Albert Park.
The opening race of the 2026 season, as evidenced by Russell’s victory and Antonelli’s strong performance, signals a potential shift in the competitive landscape of Formula 1. Mercedes’ 1-2 finish demonstrates the effectiveness of their preparations and the potential of their driver lineup. While Ferrari showed pace with Leclerc’s podium finish, Hamilton’s fourth-place finish suggests there is still work to be done to integrate the seven-time world champion into the team and unlock the full potential of the Ferrari car.
Verstappen’s recovery drive from 20th to sixth highlights his exceptional talent and the resilience of the Red Bull Racing team, despite the early setback. The race in Melbourne provided a compelling preview of what promises to be a captivating Formula 1 season, with new regulations, shifting team dynamics, and a renewed sense of competition.