Mercedes Dominates F1 Australian Grand Prix
Mercedes had a 1-2 finish in the Australian Grand Prix with George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli [https://formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp1-russell-sets-the-pace-from-antonelli-and-norris-during-sole-chinese.5mXgmJfYHY5aWepDGxjbi0]. Russell also claimed provisional pole for the sprint race in China [https://racefans.net/2026/03/13/2026-chinese-grand-prix-sprint-race-grid]. Max Verstappen wishes the new F1 cars were “more fun” to drive [https://bbc.com/sport/formula1/articles/c89knjjnp7qo].
George Russell secured his sixth career victory at the Australian Grand Prix, leading teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli to a Mercedes 1-2 finish. This marked Mercedes' 132nd Grand Prix victory overall and their 61st one-two finish. A decisive pit stop under the virtual safety car helped Mercedes outmaneuver a quick start from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Antonelli, making his F1 debut, recovered from a poor start to finish second. The 18-year-old Italian replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Antonelli's racing career has seen a meteoric rise, scouted by Mercedes during his karting career and achieving titles in Italian and ADAC F4 championships. Reigning world champion Lando Norris finished fifth, while Max Verstappen recovered to sixth after starting 20th due to a qualifying crash. Verstappen has expressed his dissatisfaction with the new 2026 F1 regulations, saying the cars are "more like Mario Kart" and "no fun to drive". He admitted to exploring other racing series and has concerns about the emphasis on energy management.
