F1 Results Today: Mercedes have car destroyed in crash but top final practice times in hectic session

Toto Wolff, Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Mercedes, Bahrain, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Formula 1

F1 Results Today: Mercedes have car destroyed in crash but top final practice times in hectic session

All the times from FP3 at the Australian Grand Prix

Originally written by Chris Deeley. This version is a translation.

Saturday 7 March 2026 04:17

Mercedes had the ultimate mixed final practice session at the Australian Grand Prix, with George Russell setting by far the fastest time...but Kimi Antonelli destroying his own car in spectacular style.

Antonelli emerged unharmed from the Turn 2 crash, but his mechanics face a huge rebuild job to get his car back in one piece in time for qualifying.

Almost every remaining car made it out after the Antonelli-induced red flag period for a single qualifying simulation lap to end the session, with just Carlos Sainz (who caused an earlier red flag when his car stopped on pit entry) and Lance Stroll (see: Aston Martin) unable to get out of the pits.

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Russell used that time to comprehensively kick the rest of the field's teeth in, topping the timing sheets by more than half a second from former team-mate Lewis Hamilton in second.

That single lap saw Russell unleash the pace which many around the paddock have been insisting that Mercedes have been hiding over the weekend and in pre-season testing, confirming his status as title favourite.

Australian Grand Prix FP3 times

Australian Grand Prix FP3 results
Position	Driver	Team	Time
1	George Russell	Mercedes	1:19.053
2	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.616s
3	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.774s
4	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+1.034s
5	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull	+1.084s
6	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+1.144s
7	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+1.271s
8	Lando Norris	McLaren	+1.390s
9	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+1.406s
10	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.725s
11	Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	+1.785s
12	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+1.837s
13	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1.930s
14	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	+2.014s
15	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+2.018s
16	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+2.360s
17	Alex Albon	Williams	+2.611s
18	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+3.667s
19	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	+4.461s
20	Sergio Perez	Cadillac	+5.344s
21	Carlos Sainz	Williams	NO TIME
22	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	NO TIME