The race nevertheless started in a
chaotic manner for the two
Mercedes drivers.
Russell got off to a poor start, notably due to a
battery energy problem, and immediately
found himself battling with
Charles Leclerc and the
Scuderia
Ferrari, who were very fast in the opening laps.
Read more Charles Leclerc happy with this battle, closer to the Mercedes than expected
The key to victory
finally came from the strategy. Mercedes took a
bold gamble by opting for a single pit stop, taking advantage of a
perfectly placed virtual safety car and
excellent tire management by its two drivers.
Laborious start
World championship leader
for the first time in his career, Russell fully savored
this success after the finish: “It’s incredible. We knew
it would be difficult, I arrived on the grid and saw that my
battery had no energy, I got off to a bad start and I
fought with Charles. I’m happy to win, thanks to
the whole team, we’ve wanted to have such a
car for a long time.”
The Briton also
rejoiced in the spectacle offered on track: “I’m glad
you liked it! We had a suspicion that there would be this
yo-yo effect, and when you’re in the lead it’s impossible to hold on. With the
straight-line mode we lose the front end, we understeer in the
corners. It was a bit chaotic but I made it through in one piece and we
secured the one-two finish!”
Antonelli comes from
far back
For his part, Antonelli also
missed his start, losing several positions before beginning
an effective climb through the field. The Italian returned to the top
4 and then second place when the Ferraris made their
pit stop under green flag conditions.
Read more Aston Martin ready to stop its drivers at the slightest problem in Australia
The young driver was
very satisfied with this first weekend: “It was the best
start to the season we could have hoped for. The start was very
bad, I lost a lot of positions, I found myself
having to climb back up, but it was good, the pace was very good,
especially at the end, and I’m looking forward to the next race.
”
He also highlighted
the impact of the hybrid engine’s overtake mode on the race
dynamics: “The race was incredible in the first
laps, the overtake mode is so powerful that it gives
great opportunities, it was fun. I’m going to rest and I’m
looking forward to being in China. ”
With this one-two finish in the first round of the
season, Mercedes sends a strong message to its rivals and already
asserts itself as the benchmark of this new technical era.
Read more F1 2026: how the new rear LEDs reveal energy management