The start of the 2026 season of Formula 1 has been very exciting. There has been a big change in the driver standings after the first sprint race played in the Chinese Grand Prix. After winning this race, Mercedes driver George Russell has reached first place in the championship table with 33 points.

Russell achieved second victory

George Russell has made a great start this season. After the Australian Grand Prix, he strengthened his lead by winning the sprint race held in China. He is currently leading the drivers championship with 33 points.

Two Mercedes drivers in top-3

At this time the dominance of Mercedes team is clearly visible. The team’s young driver Kimi Antonelli is in second place with 22 points. He had achieved second place in the Australian Grand Prix, due to which he is ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc despite having equal points. Leclerc is also in third place with 22 points.

Ferrari and McLaren also in competition

Ferrari’s veteran driver Lewis Hamilton is in fourth place with 18 points. Whereas Lando Norris of McLaren is at fifth position with 15 points. The start of Red Bull’s current champion Max Verstappen has not been as expected. He is currently in sixth place with just 8 points.

Tough competition in midfield

In seventh place in the standings is Haas team’s Oliver Bearman, who has 7 points. Racing Bulls’ young driver Arvid Lindblad is in eighth place with 4 points. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is in ninth place with 3 points, while Audi team’s Gabriel Bortoletto is in the top-10 with 2 points.

Many veterans could not open accounts yet

At the beginning of the season, many big names have not been able to score points yet. These include drivers like Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Williams Jr. and Nico Hulkenberg.

Mercedes’ strong start

After the first two events of the season, the Mercedes team looks the strongest. The team had achieved a brilliant 1-2 finish in the Australian Grand Prix, while Russell’s sprint victory in China has further strengthened their lead.

Formula 1 2026 Drivers’ Championship Points Table (Top 12)

1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 33 points
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 22 points
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 22 points
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 18 points
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 15 points
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) – 8 points
7. Oliver Bearman (Haas) – 7 points
8. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – 4 digit
9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 3 points
10. Gabriele Bortoletto (Audi) – 2 points
11. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 2 points
12. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 1 point

F1 Race Live Streaming: The new season of Formula 1, the biggest stage of motorsports, is about to start. The first match of 2026 will be played with the Australian Grand Prix, about which racing fans around the world are very excited. This race will be held at the famous Albert Park Circuit of Australia.

This season is considered special in many ways, because major rule changes have been implemented in F1. Due to new technology and changed car design, there may be a big change in the performance of the teams this time. In such a situation, the competition is expected to be very interesting from the first race of the season itself.

Expected tough competition between teams

Early indications from pre-season testing suggest that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team could make a strong start this time. However, Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and McLaren are also not far behind in the race for victory. The special thing is that last season’s champion Lando Norris will also enter the field this time with the intention of defending the title. Therefore, the Australian Grand Prix itself can give indications as to which team is going to be the strongest in 2026.

Australian Grand Prix full schedule

The F1 season will start with a three-day program.

6 March (Friday)

• Practice Session 1 – 1:30 am
• Practice Session 2 – 5:00 am

7 March (Saturday)

• Practice Session 3 – 1:30 am
• Qualifying – 5:00 am

8 March (Sunday)

• Main Race – 4:00 am

Where to watch live races in India

F1 fans in India can watch the first race of this season live on multiple platforms.

• Online Streaming: FanCode
• TV Platform: Tata Play

Apart from this, viewers can also enjoy the race live by subscribing to F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Premium.

Big start to the season

New rules, new cars and competition between strong teams – due to all these reasons the 2026 F1 season is going to be very exciting. Only in the Australian Grand Prix can it become clear who will emerge ahead in the race to become champion this year. This could prove to be a great start to the season for racing fans, where the excitement will increase with every lap.