Home favorite Oscar Piastri suffered a dramatic setback before the Australian GP even began, crashing on his way to the starting grid during the reconnaissance lap.

George Russell took a comfortable victory in the Australian Grand Prix at the start of a new era of Formula 1 after a brief early scrap with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Piastri, who also crashed out of last year’s race, albeit in much worse conditions, lost control on the turn four exit kerb and speared into the barriers on one of his reconnaissance laps to the grid.