Mercedes magic and fast-starting Ferraris – What To Watch For in the season opener in Australia
Chris Medland picks out five key things to keep an eye on when the lights go out for the season opener at Albert Park in Melbourne.

.webp)
From Mercedes drivers fighting from the front row to balancing first lap aggressiveness, and from Max Verstappen charging up from the back to reliability challenges, here are five things to look out for as we get a new era of racing underway in Melbourne…
1. A Silver Arrows battle
A year ago it was McLaren who were eyeing a season-long battle between their drivers for the championship, with both starting on the front row in Melbourne. Could that now be the case for Mercedes after George Russell beat Kimi Antonelli to pole position?
Next Up
Related Articles
Vasseur on main issue behind Ferrari’s Austrian GP struggles
AS IT HAPPENED: Russell takes victory for Mercedes in Austria
Verstappen's best result yet in 2026 gets your vote
All the key moments from the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix
Piastri surprised to beat Ferrari after P4 in Austria
UnlockedHow 27 seconds of Qualifying decided the Austrian Grand Prix
