Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com for live coverage of Free Practice 3 at the 2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix, as Formula 1 begins a brand new regulatory era at Albert Park.
The 2026 Formula 1 season officially gets underway in Melbourne, marking the first race under sweeping new technical regulations that reshape chassis design, aerodynamics and power unit architecture. With smaller, lighter cars and revised energy deployment systems, the competitive order remains one of the biggest unknowns heading into FP3.
The 5.278km Albert Park Circuit has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996, after the event moved from Adelaide, where it debuted on the Formula 1 calendar in 1985. Stay with us for live updates, lap times, early pace analysis and key storylines throughout the session.
F1 2026 Australian GP FP3 LIVE: Latest Updates
Chequered flag!
That’s all for FP3, and it’s Russell and the Mercedes who come out on top with a time of 1:19.053.
That’s a whole 0.616 ahead of Hamilton, and 0.774 ahead of Leclerc as Mercedes show they are the team to beat so far this weekend.
Piastri and Hadjar run out the top five, followed by Verstappen, Antonelli, Norris, Bortoletto and Bearman.
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That is a big shunt! Red flag
Antonelli goes off after getting too much of Turn 2. He loses the rear, and he goes into the wall.
That is quite the shunt, and we’ll have to see what that means for qualifying in just a few hours.
Issues for Aston Martin and Williams
After Sainz had issues earlier in the session, Albon also has issues as his car grinds to a halt. However he manages to get his car going again.
As for Aston Martin, they’ve confirmed that Stroll will not take part in FP3 due to ICE issues. His teammate Alonso is currently down in P17 after completing 15 laps.
Ferrari at the top, until…
And it’s Hamilton who has the fastest time at 1:20.176, with Leclerc slotting in just behind him.
Piastri has the third fastest time to the delight of the home fans, but it is very close at the front of the grid.
Just as we write that, Piastri goes into the top spot, just 0.012s faster than the Ferrari of Hamilton.
Mercedes top the timesheet so far
As things stand Antonelli had the fastest time at 1:20.324, which is about two and half tenths ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari.
Max Verstappen is currently third, but we’re certain to see the times fall as the session goes on.
Issues for Sainz
And we have a car stopped on track. Well, on the entrance to the pitlane at least.
Replays show he lost power, and we’ll have to see if that car will take part in the rest of this session..
Initially we had VSC deployed as the marshals look to move the Williams, but now the session has been red flagged.
More problems for Aston Martin
While Alonso is on track, Aston Marin have announced they are completing some work on the PU in Stroll’s car. As a result they are still rebuilding his car, so the Canadian won’t be out on track anytime soon.
Green light! We are good to go in FP3!
And the first car to take the track is Colapinto in the Alpine
Home crowd on their feet in FP2
Oscar Piastri made the home crowd happy in FP2 as he took top spot from Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Is it reason for the home crowd to be excited? Time will tell as Mercedes have been strong, and there are suggestions that Red Bull haven’t shown their hand.
The session is expected to start at 12:45 local time (so just a 15 minute delay for those in Europe)
News to know heading into FP3
Following the feedback received in the last hour from Teams and Drivers, and additional analysis contributed by Teams, the decision to remove Straight Mode zone #4 for Albert Park is rescinded.
For the avoidance of doubt, this amendment is effective immediately, and Straight Mode activation Zone 4 will be in used in FP3.
Further evaluation will take place during and after FP3.
Welcome to the blog!
For those tuning in to this live blog from around the world, Total-Motorsport.com bids you good morning, good afternoon or good evening for this Free Practice 3 session!
We are moments away from witnessing Formula 1 cars on track for the first time since Bahrain testing concluded in February with Mercedes expected to be duelling Ferrari.
It’s likely we won’t quite see the cars let completely loose in FP3 as teams still keep their cards close to their chest, but the time for sandbagging is over.
Where to Watch FP3 at the Australian GP?
Fans can watch Free Practice 3 at the 2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix through official Formula 1 broadcasters in their region.
In the United Kingdom, coverage is available live on Sky Sports F1. In Australia, FP3 is broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo. In the United States, viewers can watch live via Apple TV.
For a full country by country breakdown, see our dedicated “Where to watch the Australian GP 2026” guide.
What time is FP3 at the Australian GP?
Free Practice 3 at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix takes place on Friday, March 6 at Albert Park in Melbourne.
FP3 start time in Melbourne (AEDT): 11:30 local time
International start times:
- United Kingdom: 01:30 GMT
- Central Europe: 02:30 CET
- United States East Coast: 20:30 ET on Thursday
- United States West Coast: 17:30 PT on Thursday
As the opening session of the 2026 Formula 1 season, FP3 will be the first opportunity to see the new generation cars on track in competitive conditions.
Stay with Total-Motorsport.com for full live updates, lap times and analysis throughout the session.
