F1 LIVE | Russell rejects 'sandbagging' after Australia GP pole, Verstappen crashes out — Reactions

The opening day of on-track action treated fans to both practice sessions, each unfolding in its own way. FP1 saw Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc top the timesheets ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

FP2 told a different story, with the Mercedes-powered teams asserting themselves. Home hero Oscar Piastri set the pace in the McLaren, clocking 1:19.729, ahead of Mercedes duo Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The trio were followed by Hamilton, Leclerc, and Verstappen, who rounded out the top six. At the tail end of the grid, the lingering engine woes of the Aston Martin outfit continued. F1’s newest team, Cadillac, also faced their fair share of gremlins, with Sergio Perez failing to set a time during the session due to a sensor issue.

With FP3 and qualifying looming, teams will be pushing to uncover that extra bit of pace missing from the opening sessions. Don’t miss a second of the action, follow our live coverage as we take you through every lap from the Albert Park Circuit.