Leclerc Leads Ferrari 1-2 in First Practice of 2026 F1 Season

Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in the first practice session of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Melbourne, leading a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of new teammate Lewis Hamilton. The session offered the first glimpse of the new competitive order under revised regulations, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull ahead of rookie Isack Hadjar.

Why it matters:

The opening practice of a new era is always a significant, if tentative, indicator. Ferrari's strong start with its new driver pairing immediately validates the hype surrounding Hamilton's high-profile move, while the performance of rookies and the apparent struggles of established teams like Aston Martin begin to sketch the early 2026 pecking order.

The details:

• Ferrari's Strong Start: Leclerc set the benchmark at 1:20.267s, with Hamilton just under half a second behind. This marks a confident start for the Scuderia and Hamilton's first official session in red.
• Red Bull's New Line-Up: Max Verstappen was third, but the story was rookie Isack Hadjar slotting into fourth, just over three-tenths behind his veteran teammate, in his first FP1 outing for the senior team.
• Mixed Fortunes Elsewhere:
  • The rebranded Racing Bulls team saw Arvid Lindblad an impressive fifth.
  • McLaren had a split session: Oscar Piastri was sixth at home, but Lando Norris completed only 7 laps and ended up 19th after a suspected technical issue.
  • Aston Martin endured a nightmare start, with Lance Stroll 21st and Fernando Alonso failing to set a timed lap.
• The Back of the Grid: Alpine, Cadillac, and the troubled Aston Martins filled the final positions, suggesting an uphill battle ahead this weekend.

What's next:

FP1 times are rarely representative due to varying fuel loads and run plans, but the session sets the narrative for the weekend. All eyes will be on Ferrari to see if its pace is genuine in the more relevant FP2 session later today. Teams will also be scrambling to fix issues—especially McLaren and Aston Martin—before qualifying on Saturday. The true competitive picture will start to come into focus, revealing whether this Ferrari 1-2 was a statement of intent or merely an opening act.