George Russell Secures Pole Position in Australian Grand Prix
 |
| Russell takes pole in Australian GP amidst technical changes |
George Russell claims pole position at Australian GP, praising Mercedes' car performance amidst new technical regulations.
Mercedes locks out front row with Russell and Antonelli at Australian Grand Prix...
George Russell was thrilled with his pole position at the Australian Grand Prix, praising his “amazing” Mercedes car. He clocked a lap time of 1:18.518, nearly three-tenths of a second faster than teammate Kimi Antonelli, securing a dominant 1-2 for Mercedes.
The Briton was surprised by the car's performance, saying, “I think we've got a really great engine beneath us,” and adding that the team had done an "amazing job" in preparing the car. Russell's lap was also nearly eight-tenths of a second quicker than Isack Hadjar's Red Bull, highlighting Mercedes' strong form.
George Russell was pleasantly surprised by his car's performance, securing pole position for the Australian Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen crashed out and Lando Norris struggled with his car, qualifying sixth.
“I think we’ve got a really great engine beneath us,” the Briton said after taking Mercedes' first pole in Melbourne since Lewis Hamilton in 2019.
"However, I think we’ve also got a really amazing car beneath us, and I think that probably hasn’t been highlighted enough in the press these past few weeks.
“I think the car, from the off, Kimi and I both said it felt great to drive. We're enjoying the smaller cars, the lighter cars.”
Russell described the new F1 cars as a “challenge” but praised their agility, saying they felt more like go-karts compared to last year's “bouncing bus.”
“The cars are more agile and you’re sort of sliding them around a bit more,” he said.
Our first Russonelli front row 🩵💙 pic.twitter.com/CkbABjirE5
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 7, 2026
“It’s easier to lock up and run wide, lose the rear.
"So I think there are lots of mixed views on the new regulations as a whole, but I do think the car regulations for everyone are definitely a step forward compared to what we’ve had for the past, what, eight years now.”
Kimi Antonelli's position on the grid is up in the air as stewards investigate Mercedes for releasing his car in an unsafe condition. The 19-year-old's car took a beating in final practice, needing repairs before qualifying.
A "fair dinkum" lap indeed! 😅
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2026
What a Qualifying from George Russell and Mercedes 👏#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/hnMXnsIet2
Antonelli's troubles continued when his car dropped cooling fans on the track, triggering a red flag and causing issues for Lando Norris, who ran over one and damaged his McLaren's front wing.
“We couldn’t even set up the car, we just went out and managed to put it on the front row. So really happy with that,“ said Antonelli.
Toto Wolff heaped praise on Kimi Antonelli for bouncing back from the crash, but stopped short of predicting a title battle with teammate George Russell.
“He was quick all weekend, quick until he went off in the morning. And I think it's a miracle that not only the car was put together, but also the lap that he did.”
Hard work pays off 💪
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2026
A heroic effort from @MercedesAMGF1 to get Kimi Antonelli out on track in Qualifying to complete the front row on the grid 😮💨#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/9Fi9yNloaf
“There was no set-up on the car, we were never able to really measure it. He's from the raw speed, from the talent, from his ability, absolutely.
“But he's in his second year of Formula One, George is nine or 10. All around you need experience, so I think it would be early days for Kimi to compare himself to George.”
“I think in pure speed terms, he's absolutely there,” said Wolff.
No comments:
Leave comment here