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
Norris frustrated by McLaren’s ‘unlucky’ run after Monaco DNF
Unlocked6 Winners and 6 Losers from Monaco
Betting5 drivers most likely to win in Barcelona
IN PHOTOS: 10 of the best images from the Monaco Grand Prix
What time is the 2026 Barcelona GP and how can I watch it?
Betting5 betting lessons learnt after Antonelli wins in Monaco
