It's no great exaggeration to say that the 2026 Australian Grand Prix figures to have a ripple effect on the entire season.
Lando Norris vs. Max Verstappen was a common theme in the latter half of last season, but there are new rules in place and new cars designed to adapt to them, meaning a new driver could rise the ranks.
Bettors are circling George Russell as the man to beat this year, and that's why he's favored to win the Australian GP. Let's take a look at the F1 odds prior to making some Australian GP predictions for Sunday, March 8.
2026 F1 Australian Grand Prix odds
| Driver |  |
|---|---|
 George Russell |
+200 |
 Max Verstappen |
+350 |
 Charles Leclerc |
+400 |
| Lewis Hamilton |
+650 |
| Kimi Antonelli |
+800 |
 Lando Norris |
+1000 |
| Oscar Piastri |
+1400 |
 Fernando Alonso |
+2800 |
| Isack Hadjar |
+10000 |
 Pierre Gasly |
+12500 |
 Carlos Sainz |
+40000 |
| Alex Albon |
+40000 |
 Esteban Ocon |
+40000 |
| Oliver Bearman |
+40000 |
| Lance Stroll |
+50000 |
 Liam Lawson |
+50000 |
| Arvid Lindblad |
+50000 |
 Nico Hulkenberg |
+50000 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto |
+50000 |
| Franco Colapinto |
+50000 |
 Sergio Perez |
+50000 |
| Valtteri Bottas |
+50000 |
Odds as of 3-4.
F1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 pre-qualifying favorites
The Australian GP odds essentially mirror the odds to win the championship, with George Russell favored over Max Verstappen, followed by Team Ferrari in Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Defending race winner and 2025 Drivers' champion Lando Norris carries the sixth-shortest odds on the board, trailing Kimi Antonelli.
With so much uncertainty surrounding the new cars even following preseason testing, this is as wide-open a betting board as we've seen in a long time for an F1 race.
Previous F1 Australian Grand Prix winners
| Year | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 2024 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Ferrari |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 2021 | Race Not Held — COVID-19 | N/A |
| 2020 | Race Not Held — COVID-19 | N/A |
| 2019 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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