Ferrari reckons F1 Australian GP race showed its true form after "tough" qualifying

Fred Vasseur reckons Ferrari failed to “put everything together” in qualifying for Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix with the much-improved race being more representative of its pace.

The Italian outfit finished third and fourth at the F1 2026 opener in Melbourne on Sunday, behind Mercedes pair George Russell and Kimi Antonelli who were also 1-2 in qualifying.

At one stage Charles Leclerc was even enjoying a to-and-fro battle with eventual winner Russell for the lead, but then Ferrari’s decision to not pit under a virtual safety car eventually resigned him to third ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

But it still marked vast improvements from qualifying, where Leclerc was fourth and Hamilton seventh, 0.809s and 0.960s off pole respectively, on the opening weekend of F1’s new regulations.

“The feeling is more positive than something else,” said team boss Vasseur. “We had a tough Saturday, I think we didn’t put everything together yesterday. We were eight tenths off, it was quite tough, but we recovered part of this today.

“It is good to have two cars fighting at the top. We know that we have a very long list of improvements, but it is true for us, it is true for everybody on the grid. The result of the season will be based on the capacity that we will have to develop, to bring upgrades, to produce quickly.

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

“This will be key for the season for everybody on the grid. I prefer to start the season in a good shape than in a bad shape, but it is still a long way to go.”

Key to Leclerc’s early challenge for the lead was his lightning start where he grabbed first come Turn 1, though this continued a theme from pre-season of Ferrari looking good off the lights.

It comes amid changes to the race start procedure where drivers must now rev their engines higher and for much longer, following the removal of the MGU-H under the 2026 regulations.

This makes it more complicated and while some teams struggled to adapt, Ferrari looked the strongest during starts in Bahrain testing and subsequently continued that into Melbourne – where teams like Mercedes and Red Bull mismanaged battery power for lights out.

But Vasseur warned that Ferrari might not hold this advantage at every grand prix this year, adding: “We were expecting to have a good start, but it is really on the edge. The window is very narrow. On the top today, they switched it on [the lights] very quickly.

“I think everybody was a bit surprised. The start was good, but it is not a guarantee for the season. The pace yesterday, we didn’t do the best session of our life, but we were there.

“Today, the race pace was probably a bit better. It was difficult, but if you compare it with McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes, we are probably a step forward in the race pace. But again, it is one event, the first one, but we have a mega long list of things that we are convinced that we have to do a better job. But this is true also for my competitors.”

So the Frenchman reckons it may be a “completely different story” at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, as varying track characteristics are expected to make a bigger difference in 2026.

“In terms of energy, it is almost the opposite,” said Vasseur. “Conditions will be much colder, probably much colder and we will have the sprint format.

“It means much less time to adapt the strategy. It will be a completely different exercise. Let’s see where we will be next week.”

Photos from Australian GP – SundayLewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

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Entertainers

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Zak Brown, McLaren

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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

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Carlos Sainz, Williams

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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Alexander Albon, Williams

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The 2026 F1 drivers photo

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on track

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing, Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

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Sam Brabham drives a Brabham BT-19 on track

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, George Russell, Mercedes, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

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Carlos Sainz, Williams

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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Alexander Albon, Williams

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Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, Williams

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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Lando Norris, McLaren

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

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Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

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Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

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Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing

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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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George Russell, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Toto Wolff, Mercedes

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Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

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George Russell, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes

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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

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Ferrari reckons F1 Australian GP race showed its true form after “tough” qualifying

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