Mercedes lead Formula 1 Constructors' title conversation as Brackley team favourites for Australian GP

Brackley outfit Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team remain the early favourites for the Constructors’ Championship as the 2026 F1 season gets underway in Australia this weekend.

Two free practice sessions were completed on Friday ahead of FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, setting up a highly anticipated race in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mercedes' British driver George Russell drives during the first practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images)

placeholder image — Mercedes' British driver George Russell drives during the first practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP via Getty Images)

The widespread view up and down the paddock – even before the teams arrived in Australia – has long been that Mercedes will be the ones to beat this season. And that feeling remains upon touchdown in Melbourne.

Toto Wolff’s team were a little disappointed to see drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli down in P7 and P8 respectively at the end of FP1, but the Silver Arrows improved up to P2 and P3 in FP2.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton made it a Ferrari one-two in FP1, while home favourite Oscar Piastri went fastest for McLaren in FP2. But Mercedes, eager to take the Constructors’ crown from the Papaya-clad outfit, were only two tenths off the pace in the most recent session.

It’s looking tight between the top four teams but, if the majority verdict is correct, then Mercedes should have enough to be challenging for wins consistently in this early part of the new campaign.

That includes Australia, where the Silver Arrows will be eager to continue to up the pace on Saturday.

Mercedes chief communications officer Bradley Lord said: “We had a bit of a tricky first session – lots of snagging, lots of teething troubles and things like that.

“It was much smoother in FP2 and we got a decent long run in, and decent single lap work as well.

“The drivers were much happier with the balance of the car, the deployment, and the energy management. Lots of learning but still a lot to do.”

On where Mercedes currently stand, Lord added: “It looks like it’s a close fight with the top teams. It’s not going to be easy of course – Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull all look strong.

“We just need to keep our heads down and keep focusing on ourselves in order to try and improve even further.”