Summary

  • Charles Leclerc leads from Lewis Hamilton

  • Lead kept changing in early stages with frequent overtakes

  • George Russell third after pitting under virtual safety car

  • Home hero Oscar Piastri crashes on lap to grid

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

  • Select audio icon for BBC Radio 5 Live commentary (UK only)

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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Team radio - Hamilton

    "My tyres are still OK. Do not box me at the same time."

  2. Lap 21/58

    The VSC is cleared and Ferrari are still ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli on fresher tyres but Russell is catching Lewis Hamilton with every lap that passes.

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

    I don't think Arvid Lindblad got the memo about being a junior driver in this Red Bull family because he's had Max Verstappen behind him for quite some time.

  4. Verstappen overtakes Lindbald

    Lap 20/58

    Valtteri Bottas was told to stop immediately by Cadillac, so now the Finn makes his way back to the garage to watch the rest of the race on the telly.

    Arvid Lindblad has Max Verstappen on his tail but the Racing Bulls rookie shuts the door on an overtake. The pair reach Turn Nine and there's nothing Lindblad can do this time. Four-time world champion Verstappen takes sixth place, Lindblad is still going great, now in seventh.

  5. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent in Melbourne

    Ferrari still don't come in. Max Verstappen has come in on the hard tyre and that says everything about this strategy.

  6. Virtual safety car

    Lap 19/58

    Arvid Lindblad and Max Verstappen are called in by their teams to make their first stops of this Australian Grand Prix. Rookie Lindblad is now sixth, Verstappen comes out in seventh.

    Message from race control: Pit entry is now closed. Sorry, Ferrari.

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

    George Russell is sitting in third place and he has a huge amount of clear air in front of him.

    We've been talking ever since this race started that how fighting with other cars costs you massively in terms of your energy efficiency.

    He has clear air and a very fast car which he can optimise and become efficient with.

  8. Bottas stops

    Lap 18.58

    New team Cadillac are watching on as Valtteri Bottas comes to a stop on track. The Finn is climbing out of the car, as the VSC is shown once again.

  9. Lap 17/58

    George Russell is banking the quickest laps in the Mercedes after stopping under the VSC. The Briton is eight seconds behind leader Charles Leclerc and is gaining rapidly.

    Max Verstappen, with the help of a handy TV graphic, has a full battery compared to Arvid Lindblad as he chases down the rookie for fifth place.

  10. Get Involved

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    Steve: Another strategy fail from Ferrari?

    Jane: Have Ferrari tactics let their drivers down again?

  11. Lap 16/58

    The leader of this opener is still Charles Leclerc but the Mercedes are quietly working away in the background. The Monegasque driver is told it's Plan A by his pit wall. "Copy that," he replies.

  12. Antonelli overtakes Lindbladf

    Lap 15/58

    Lewis Hamilton is on the phone to Ferrari and questioning how George Russell in the Mercedes is only 10 seconds behind. The other Silver Arrows of Kimi Antonelli is hunting down rookie Arvid Lindblad, who is doing a sterling job on his debut.

    The Italian gets the job done and takes fourth away from the Brit teenager.

  13. Get Involved

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Kevin: This is what racing is all about, have we finally got it back?!

    Reuben: 5 changes of lead in 12 laps? If this is what the new regulations bring for 2026 then sign me up!!

  14. Track clear - Alonso retires

    Lap 14/58

    The VSC is cleared and we're racing again in Melbourne. Max Verstappen still has his starting hard tyre on but the four-time world champion is in the points in sixth place.

    Over at Aston Martin, who have struggled all weekend (and in pre-season testing), Fernando Alonso is told to retire the car.

  15. Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent in Melbourne

    I agree with Lewis Hamilton. I don't know why Ferrari wouldn't have pitted one of their cars, it's sort of default strategy. A virtual safety car is a virtual safety and you pit because it's a free stop. It's bizarre.

  16. Virtual safety car

    Lap 13/58

    Lewis Hamilton is on the radio to say he or race leader Charles Leclerc should have stopped under the VSC. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli did dive in for fresh rubber, taking on the hard compound.

    Leclerc leads, Hamilton is second but the two Mercedes, who are split by the Racing Bulls of Arvid Lindbald, have made a pit stop.

  17. Team radio - Hadjar

    "Come on, it is broken."

  18. 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.

  19. 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?

  20. 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.