The 2026 Victory Lane Racing Formula One Series season opened in style at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, where Cody Zeeb powered to victory in the Australian Grand Prix. Zeeb scored 151 race points to secure the win and the maximum 40 championship points, marking the third career VLR F1 victory for the Cadillac Thunderstrike driver. Zeeb held off a strong challenge from Malachi Hammerle, who finished second for Scarlet Speedworks, while Jay Smogolski completed the podium with a third-place run for Scommessa Venta.
Behind the podium trio, the battle throughout the top ten was tight all afternoon. Nathan Helton delivered an impressive fourth-place finish for Piquet, while Kirk Hunter rounded out the top five for Stonehunter Racing. Scarlet Speedworks also saw a strong performance from Greg Miller, who finished sixth to help give the team one of the most productive weekends of any organization in the field. AlphaChampion teammates Matthew and Britten Steinfels also impressed, finishing seventh and eighth to put both drivers comfortably inside the top ten.
While Zeeb claimed the race win for Cadillac Thunderstrike, Scarlet Speedworks emerged as the top overall team of the weekend, combining Hammerle’s runner-up finish and Miller’s sixth-place result to take the early lead in the team championship standings. Scommessa Venta and Cadillac Thunderstrike sit close behind after the opening race, setting up an early three-team battle as the series heads to the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit on March 15, where last season’s winner Steve Ruth will look to return to victory lane.
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