Formula 1 had a qualifying session dominated by Mercedes at the 2026 Australian GP, but the impressive result could gain new chapters off the track. The German team was summoned by the stewards following an incident involving Kimi Antonelli’s car during Q3 at Albert Park.
Read more F1: Antonelli crashes in FP3 and surprises with front row in Australia
The investigation takes place after the Italian’s car left the pit lane with equipment still attached to the side, a situation considered potentially unsafe by race control. The case will be analyzed by the stewards later this Saturday, which could bring consequences after the session that defined the starting grid.
On the track, Mercedes had a strong performance in qualifying for the first round of the season. George Russell took pole position and led a 1-2 for the German team on the front row of the starting grid, with Antonelli securing second place.
The gap to the rivals was significant in Q3. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, who finished in third position, was about eight-tenths behind the time set by Russell, highlighting Mercedes’ advantage in the decisive qualifying session.
Despite the dominance in the sporting result, the team ended up involved in an incident in the final moments of the session. When Antonelli left the pit lane for his final flying lap attempt in Q3, a cooling fan was still attached to the car’s sidepod.
🔴 RED FLAG 🔴
Lando Norris collides with a cooling device on the track, which seemingly fell from Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes
Read more Russell takes pole for the Australian GP at the start of F1’s new era
There’s debris to be cleared up at Turn 2#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/hrUZ9jGS8Y
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2026
The equipment ended up coming loose shortly after the driver entered the track. The part fell onto the racing line and was hit by Lando Norris’s car, causing concern and contributing to the session being interrupted with a red flag.
The situation led race control to open an investigation against Mercedes for a possible unsafe release of the car. This type of incident is usually carefully analyzed by the stewards, especially when it involves debris on the track that could pose a risk to other drivers.
The German team will have to report to the stewards in Melbourne at 6:00 PM local time, which corresponds to 7:00 AM GMT. At the hearing, the team’s responsibility for Antonelli’s car leaving the pit lane with the fan still attached will be evaluated.
While awaiting the stewards’ decision, Mercedes celebrates the strong performance shown on track in qualifying. Russell and Antonelli secured the front row of the starting grid for the race that opens the Formula 1 season, putting the team in a privileged position to seek victory at Albert Park.
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