Ferrari Dominates Opening Practice in Melbourne as Leclerc Edges Hamilton

Ferrari made a commanding statement in the opening practice session of the 2026 season at Albert Park, with Charles Leclerc setting the pace ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. The Italian team's strong showing in the first official session of the campaign indicates they could be formidable contenders throughout the year.

Formula 1

Ferrari announced their arrival at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix with an impressive display of pace in the opening practice session, establishing themselves as early frontrunners at a circuit known for favoring well-balanced machinery.

Charles Leclerc emerged as the quickest driver on track, securing the top spot on the timing sheets as the Scuderia locked out the top two positions. His teammate Lewis Hamilton followed closely behind in second place, demonstrating that Ferrari has brought competitive machinery to Melbourne for the season opener.

The early practice session proved to be a successful outing for the Maranello squad, with both drivers displaying the speed necessary to challenge for victories this season. As teams continue to evaluate their setups and gather data ahead of qualifying and the race, Ferrari's performance in these initial running sessions suggests they will be a team to watch throughout 2026.

Original source

RACER

Read Original

Related Regulations

sporting Regulations

Hover over badges for quick summaries, or scroll down for full official text and simplified explanations.

Full Regulation Text

Sporting Regulations

Article B2.1.2

FIA Source

Free Practice Sessions - Alternative Format

Chapter: B2

In Simple Terms

On the first day of track running at a Grand Prix weekend, teams get one practice session called FP1 that lasts for 1 hour. This gives drivers and teams a chance to familiarize themselves with the track, test their cars, and gather data before the more important qualifying and race sessions.

FP1 is held on the first day of track running
Session duration is exactly 1 hour
Used for initial setup testing and track familiarization
Alternative format option for weekend structure

Official FIA Text

One 1-hour free practice session (FP1) on first day of track running.

free practicefp1first practice sessiontrack running1 hour

2026 Season Regulations

Sporting Regulations

Article B2.1.3

FIA Source

Free Practice Session Classification

Chapter: B2

In Simple Terms

Free Practice sessions are ranked based on each driver's fastest single lap time. The driver with the quickest lap gets first place, the second quickest gets second place, and so on down the grid.

Classification is based solely on fastest lap time achieved during the session
Drivers are ranked from fastest to slowest
Only the single best lap for each driver counts toward the classification
Free Practice results do not affect the actual race grid positions

Official FIA Text

Classification determined by fastest lap time set by each driver, with fastest in first position, second fastest in second position, and so on.

free practiceclassificationfastest lapsession rankingpractice session

2026 Season Regulations

Sporting Regulations

Article B2.4.1

FIA Source

Race Qualifying Session

Chapter: B2

In Simple Terms

Qualifying is the session where drivers compete to determine their starting positions for the race. It normally happens on the second day of a Grand Prix weekend, either 2-3 hours after the final practice session (FP3) or 3-4 hours after the Sprint race, depending on the event format.

Qualifying determines the race grid order - your position in qualifying decides where you start the race
Standard format: held on day two, 2-3 hours after FP3 (free practice 3)
Alternative format: held on day two, 3-4 hours after Sprint race
Timing varies based on whether the weekend includes a Sprint race or follows the traditional format