2019 Australian Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Valtteri Bottas launched the 2019 F1 World Championship with a commanding victory at the Australian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver swept past Lewis Hamilton at the start and never looked back, while Max Verstappen gave Red Bull Racing‘s new partnership with Honda an immediate podium at Albert Park Circuit.

Pole position
Driver	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Time	1:20.486
Fastest lap
Driver	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes
Time	1:25.580 on lap 57
Podium
First	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes
Second	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Third	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
15 March 2019	Practice 1	12:00 – 13:30
15 March 2019	Practice 2	16:00 – 17:30
16 March 2019	Practice 3	14:00 – 15:00
16 March 2019	Qualifying	17:00 – 18:00
17 March 2019	Race	16:10

All times are local (UTC+11:00). The race time is the scheduled start.

Championship background

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes arrived as defending champions, but Ferrari‘s promising testing form had raised expectations of a close opening contest. The return of a bonus point for fastest lap added a fresh strategic incentive, provided the driver setting it finished in the top ten. The weekend also carried a sombre note following the sudden death of race director Charlie Whiting.

Race entries

Lando Norris, George Russell and Alexander Albon made their Grand Prix debuts for McLaren, Williams and Toro Rosso respectively. Robert Kubica returned to racing with Williams for the first time since 2010, while Antonio Giovinazzi and Daniil Kvyat also returned to full-time seats.

Charles Leclerc joined Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, Daniel Ricciardo moved to Renault, and Pierre Gasly stepped up to Red Bull Racing. Kimi Räikkönen joined the newly renamed Alfa Romeo Racing, Carlos Sainz moved to McLaren and Lance Stroll joined Racing Point.

Free Practice

Lewis Hamilton led FP1 with a 1:23.599, narrowly ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc. Alexander Albon‘s spin and contact with the barrier interrupted his introduction to a Grand Prix weekend, although he brought the Toro Rosso back for repairs.

Hamilton remained fastest in FP2 on a 1:22.600, only 0.048 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas. Max Verstappen was third, with the Mercedes pair beginning to establish a more convincing advantage over the opposition.

Hamilton completed a practice clean sweep with a 1:22.292 in FP3. Vettel and Leclerc followed, while McLaren received a fine after releasing Norris into Kubica’s path in the pit lane.

Free Practice 1 Classification

2019 Australian Grand Prix FP1, 15 March 2019

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:23.599	26
2	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	+0.038s	18
3	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.074s	18
4	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+0.193s	22
5	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+0.267s	30
6	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.217s	18
7	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	+1.233s	30
8	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	+1.333s	23
9	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	+1.335s	24
10	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	+1.416s	11
11	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.567s	23
12	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	+1.625s	18
13	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	+1.631s	21
14	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	+1.686s	19
15	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	+1.689s	26
16	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	+1.899s	21
17	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	+2.035s	16
18	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+2.367s	31
19	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	+4.315s	25
20	63	George Russell	Williams	+5.141s	25

Free Practice 2 Classification

2019 Australian Grand Prix FP2, 15 March 2019

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:22.600	33
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+0.048s	33
3	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+0.800s	33
4	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	+0.842s	31
5	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	+0.873s	35
6	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+0.972s	40
7	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	+0.974s	37
8	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	+1.044s	31
9	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+1.154s	35
10	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	+1.214s	37
11	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	+1.333s	36
12	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	+1.388s	27
13	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	+1.411s	38
14	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	+1.533s	26
15	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.693s	37
16	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	+1.801s	34
17	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	+2.075s	40
18	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+2.133s	26
19	63	George Russell	Williams	+3.853s	32
20	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	+4.055s	33

Free Practice 3 Classification

2019 Australian Grand Prix FP3, 16 March 2019

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:22.292	12
2	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	+0.264s	12
3	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.457s	12
4	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	+0.820s	17
5	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	+1.042s	15
6	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	+1.075s	17
7	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+1.130s	17
8	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	+1.150s	16
9	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+1.189s	19
10	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	+1.403s	14
11	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	+1.445s	15
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.539s	16
13	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	+1.757s	21
14	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	+1.790s	18
15	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	+2.036s	15
16	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	+2.053s	16
17	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+2.110s	18
18	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+2.276s	16
19	63	George Russell	Williams	+3.652s	14
20	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	+4.297s	16

Qualifying

Lewis Hamilton claimed pole with a 1:20.486, beating Valtteri Bottas by 0.112 seconds. Sebastian Vettel was third ahead of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, while Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen put both Haas cars in the top seven.

Lando Norris impressed with eighth on debut, followed by Kimi Räikkönen and Sergio Perez. Pierre Gasly was a surprise Q1 casualty in 17th, while Kubica clipped the wall and suffered a puncture. Ferrari‘s testing promise had not translated into a front-row challenge.

Qualifying Classification

2019 Australian Grand Prix Qualifying, 16 March 2019

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Laps
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:22.043	1:21.014	1:20.486	18
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1:22.367	1:21.193	1:20.598	19
3	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	1:22.885	1:21.912	1:21.190	16
4	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:22.876	1:21.678	1:21.320	17
5	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:22.017	1:21.739	1:21.442	17
6	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	1:22.959	1:21.870	1:21.826	17
7	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	1:22.519	1:22.221	1:22.099	18
8	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:22.702	1:22.423	1:22.304	21
9	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	1:22.966	1:22.349	1:22.314	17
10	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	1:22.908	1:22.532	1:22.781	15
11	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	1:22.540	1:22.562	—	10
12	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	1:22.921	1:22.570	—	12
13	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	1:22.757	1:22.636	—	14
14	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	1:22.431	1:22.714	—	14
15	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	1:22.511	1:22.774	—	13
16	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	1:23.017	—	—	6
17	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	1:23.020	—	—	6
18	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	1:23.084	—	—	6
19	63	George Russell	Williams	1:24.360	—	—	9
20	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	1:26.067	—	—	8

What happened in the 2019 Australian Grand Prix?

Valtteri Bottas made the decisive move immediately, beating Lewis Hamilton away from the line and taking the lead into Turn 1. Once clear, he built the race around his own pace and tyre management, turning the opening round into an emphatic statement of intent.

Daniel Ricciardo‘s Renault debut unravelled almost as quickly. A trip onto the grass beside the starting straight tore off his front wing, forcing an early stop. Kubica also needed a replacement wing after contact, while Carlos Sainz later retired with a power-unit problem.

Hamilton stopped early to cover Sebastian Vettel‘s strategy, but Bottas extended his opening stint and remained comfortably in control. Hamilton subsequently had to manage a car with floor damage, leaving him unable to challenge his team-mate.

Max Verstappen stayed out longer than Vettel and then used his fresher tyres to pass the Ferrari for third. It was an encouraging start for Red Bull Racing‘s Honda-powered car and a disappointing afternoon for Ferrari, whose drivers finished fourth and fifth.

Romain Grosjean lost time at his pit stop before retiring with a loose front wheel. Kevin Magnussen, however, delivered sixth for Haas. Nico Hülkenberg followed in seventh, ahead of Räikkönen and Stroll.

Daniil Kvyat held off Gasly to take the final point on his return to Toro Rosso. Norris finished 12th after his strong qualifying performance, while Russell and Kubica brought both Williams cars home.

Bottas won by 20.886 seconds and added fastest lap, becoming the first beneficiary of the restored bonus point. His 26-point haul put him eight ahead of Hamilton as Mercedes began the season with a one-two finish.

2019 Australian Grand Prix race results

The 2019 Australian Grand Prix was held on 17 March 2019, with a scheduled start of 16:10 local time.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	58	1:25:27.325	26
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	58	+20.886s	18
3	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	58	+22.520s	15
4	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	58	+57.109s	12
5	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	58	+58.230s	10
6	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	58	+87.156s	8
7	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	57	+1 lap	6
8	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	57	+1 lap	4
9	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	57	+1 lap	2
10	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	57	+1 lap	1
11	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	57	+1 lap	0
12	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	57	+1 lap	0
13	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	57	+1 lap	0
14	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	57	+1 lap	0
15	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	57	+1 lap	0
16	63	George Russell	Williams	56	+2 laps	0
17	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	55	+3 laps	0
Ret	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	29	Wheel	0
Ret	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	28	Accident damage	0
Ret	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	9	Power unit	0

Valtteri Bottas earned the additional point for fastest lap.

2019 Australian Grand Prix Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time of Day	Time	Avg. Speed
1	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	57	17:37:32	1:25.580	223.075
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	57	17:37:54	1:26.057	221.839
3	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	57	17:37:55	1:26.256	221.327
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	58	17:39:58	1:26.926	219.621
5	10	Pierre Gasly	Red Bull Racing	39	17:12:34	1:27.229	218.858
6	26	Daniil Kvyat	Toro Rosso	39	17:12:34	1:27.448	218.310
7	18	Lance Stroll	Racing Point	29	16:57:43	1:27.568	218.011
8	5	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	16	16:37:49	1:27.954	217.054
9	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	56	17:37:30	1:28.182	216.493
10	23	Alexander Albon	Toro Rosso	43	17:18:50	1:28.188	216.478
11	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	52	17:31:40	1:28.270	216.277
12	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Renault	52	17:31:39	1:28.444	215.851
13	8	Romain Grosjean	Haas	17	16:39:50	1:28.462	215.807
14	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	29	16:58:26	1:28.479	215.766
15	11	Sergio Perez	Racing Point	41	17:15:47	1:28.485	215.751
16	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	17	16:39:48	1:28.555	215.581
17	63	George Russell	Williams	55	17:38:18	1:28.713	215.197
18	88	Robert Kubica	Williams	30	17:01:36	1:29.284	213.821
19	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Renault	18	16:41:46	1:29.848	212.478
20	55	Carlos Sainz	McLaren	9	16:27:27	1:30.899	210.022

Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear in this table. Time of Day is local time; average speeds are in km/h.

2019 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings for drivers and teams after the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.

2019 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Valtteri Bottas	FIN	Mercedes	26
2	Lewis Hamilton	GBR	Mercedes	18
3	Max Verstappen	NED	Red Bull Racing	15
4	Sebastian Vettel	GER	Ferrari	12
5	Charles Leclerc	MON	Ferrari	10
6	Kevin Magnussen	DEN	Haas	8
7	Nico Hulkenberg	GER	Renault	6
8	Kimi Räikkönen	FIN	Alfa Romeo Racing	4
9	Lance Stroll	CAN	Racing Point	2
10	Daniil Kvyat	RUS	Toro Rosso	1
11	Pierre Gasly	FRA	Red Bull Racing	0
12	Lando Norris	GBR	McLaren	0
13	Sergio Perez	MEX	Racing Point	0
14	Alexander Albon	THA	Toro Rosso	0
15	Antonio Giovinazzi	ITA	Alfa Romeo Racing	0
16	George Russell	GBR	Williams	0
17	Robert Kubica	POL	Williams	0
18	Romain Grosjean	FRA	Haas	0
19	Daniel Ricciardo	AUS	Renault	0
20	Carlos Sainz	ESP	McLaren	0

2019 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings

POS	Car	PTS
1	Mercedes	44
2	Ferrari	22
3	Red Bull Racing	15
4	Haas	8
5	Renault	6
6	Alfa Romeo Racing	4
7	Racing Point	2
8	Toro Rosso	1
9	McLaren	0
10	Williams	0

2019 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	2019 Australian Grand Prix	Albert Park Circuit , Melbourne	17 March
2	2019 Bahrain Grand Prix	Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir	31 March
3	2019 Chinese Grand Prix	Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai	14 April
4	2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix	Baku City Circuit, Baku	28 April
5	2019 Spanish Grand Prix	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló	12 May
6	2019 Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco , Monte Carlo	26 May
7	2019 Canadian Grand Prix	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve , Montréal	9 June
8	2019 French Grand Prix	Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet	23 June
9	2019 Austrian Grand Prix	Red Bull Ring, Spielberg	30 June
10	2019 British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone	14 July
11	2019 German Grand Prix	Hockenheimring, Hockenheim	28 July
12	2019 Hungarian Grand Prix	Hungaroring , Mogyoród	4 August
13	2019 Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	1 September
14	2019 Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza , Monza	8 September
15	2019 Singapore Grand Prix	Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore	22 September
16	2019 Russian Grand Prix	Sochi Autodrom, Sochi	29 September
17	2019 Japanese Grand Prix	Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka	13 October
18	2019 Mexican Grand Prix	Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City	27 October
19	2019 United States Grand Prix	Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas	3 November
20	2019 Brazilian Grand Prix	Autódromo José Carlos Pace , São Paulo	17 November
21	2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix	Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi	1 December