Everything is new in Formula 1 in 2026: new regulations, new cars, new power units – and with Audi F1 Team and Cadillac Formula 1 Team two new teams joining the grid. The team that executed the new rules best was Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. With George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes celebrated a dominant one-two finish and controlled the entire weekend in Melbourne. Scuderia Ferrari also delivered a very strong performance. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished third and fourth, establishing Ferrari as the closest challenger to Mercedes at the start of the new era. A disappointing weekend, however, for the McLaren Formula 1 Team. Lando Norris finished only fifth, while home favorite Oscar Piastri crashed his car into the wall on the way to the starting grid and was out before the race had even begun. Red Bull Racing also had to settle for damage limitation. With its new in-house powertrain, Max Verstappen finished sixth. After crashing in qualifying and starting from the very back of the grid, the world champion produced a strong recovery drive. Rookie Isack Hadjar had started the race from an impressive third position but had to retire with an engine failure. Seventh place went to Oliver Bearman for the Haas F1 Team, ahead of debutant Arvid Lindblad in the RB Formula One Team. Gabriel Bortoleto finished ninth in the first race for Audi F1 Team, followed by Pierre Gasly in the Alpine F1 Team in tenth place. A very disappointing performance came from the Aston Martin F1 Team with Honda power, while newcomer Cadillac Formula 1 Team still has a long way to go to be competitive. Formula 1 will continue already next weekend with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.