Summary

  • George Russell wins Australian Grand Prix

  • Antonelli second, Leclerc third and Hamilton fourth

  • P5 Norris, P6 Verstappen, P7 Bearman

  • Briton Arvid Lindblad, 18, eighth on F1 debut

  • Lead kept changing in early stages with frequent overtakes

  • Oscar Piastri did not start after crashing on lap to grid

  • OUT: Piastri, Hulkenberg, Hadjar, Bottas, Alonso

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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Virtual safety car

    Lap 12/58

    Isack Hadjar is safely out of the car and walking away from his stricken Red Bull, leaving 19 cars left to run this race after Oscar Piastri and Nico Hulkenberg failed to start.

  2. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    This is way earlier than the optimum tyre strategy would have been predicted before the race. Are they switching to a potential two-stop at McLaren?

  3. Hadjar stops

    Lap 11/58

    The Red Bull of Isack Hadjar is smoking at the rear. The Frenchman pulls over to a safe spot on the grass and tells his pit wall he's alost everything.

    Virtual safety car is shown and Lando Norris comes in for a pit stop.

  4. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Max Verstappen is already up inside the top 10, so he's on an alternate strategy to everyone else in front.

    He's on the hard tyre and all of the rest of the top 10 are on the medium, and it's looking like a very good race tyre.

  5. Lap 9/58

    This is a bit mad. So Charles Leclerc is leading this Australian Grand Prix once again from polesitter George Russell, all the while Lewis Hamilton is getting closer and closer to the pair. There's a chance Russell may have flat-spotted his front left tyre after locking up, so Mercedes may have to make some decisions soon.

  6. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    We've got these two drivers swapping positions fairly regularly, which doesn't really enhance anyone's overall race time here because they are both sitting under the rear wing of the other one and it doesn't really matter who's in front.

    The car who is second is able to be a little bit more efficient and use a slip stream to save a little bit of energy.

  7. Russell locks up

    Lap 8/58

    George Russell spies a chance to retake the lead at Turn One. His lunge works - but it comes with a nig lock-up which allows Charles Leclerc to slip by and regain control of this race.

  8. Team radio - Russell

    "That was very dangerous by Leclerc. Especially what we spoke about in briefing."

  9. Russell leads again... but Leclerc fights back

    Lap 8/58

    Blink and you'll miss who is in the lead of this race. George Russell passes Charles Leclerc to steal P1 back but just as quickly, the Ferrari grabs the front position from Mercedes man's grasp.

    Leclerc leads, Russell second, Lewis Hamilton is lurking in third...

    George Russell and Charles LeclercGetty Images

  10. Lap 7/58

    Charles Leclerc's advantage is minimal out of in front and the Mercedes is chasing the Ferrari down with each corner that passes. Will he use a bit of boost mode to help with an attack? He might you know...

  11. 'Painful for Antonelli'

    Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That was a really painful one from Kimi Antonelli because he started on the front row and he watched his team-mate disappear down the road. He got loads of wheel spin and he fell backwards.

    There was lots of chopping and changing at the start. We thought that might happen and that will continue to be a feature.

  12. Leclerc and Russell battle for the lead

    Lap 6/58

    No surprise to see Max Verstappen making waves up the field. The Dutchman is closing in on the points places and is now 11th in his Red Bull.

    Charles Leclerc and George Russell are continuing to fight for the lead of the race but the Ferrari man's defence has ruffled the feathers of the Mercedes drivers. "We spoke about this in teh briefing," he tells his pit wall.

  13. Get Involved

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Andrew: The Ferrari rocketship off the line was, and is, everything it was billed to be. Battery management on the formation lap looks to be crucial to your ability to attack / defend effectively on Lap 1 as well. This is madness!

  14. Lap 5/58

    Harry Benjamin
    BBC F1 Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Lewis Hamilton, who didn't score a podium in a grand prix all year, is currently occupying that spot in third.

  15. Lap 4/58

    Kimi Antonelli had no juice from the battery for his race start and a tumble down the order saw him fall to seventh. The Italian is moving his way through the field now and after a move on rookie Arvid Lindblad, he's now up to fifth place. Lindblad on his debut has climbed his Racing Bulls to sixth.

  16. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    We said the start could be unpredictable and it has been exactly that, some people nailing it, some people getting it right and others really struggling.

  17. Leclerc back in the lead

    Lap 3/58

    The lead is changing hands rapidly as Charles Leclerc creeps back up on the Mercedes of George Russell and swipes the P1 away from the Briton once again. Lewis Hamilton in the other Ferrari is quietly sitting in third place, just watching the two squabble in front of him.

  18. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It was a blistering start particularly from Charles Leclerc, but also from Lewis Hamilton. They've moved their positions up and George Russell loses that slot.

  19. Russell overtakes Leclerc

    Lap 2/58

    The pace of the Mercedes has come to shine on lap two and George Russell has regained control of the lead of this race by passing Charles Leclerc, who flew off the line at lights out. Lewis Hamilton is third and Isack Hadjar is fourth in the Red Bull.

  20. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Live

    This the most hotly anticipated start of a season I can remember in my history within this sport.