MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Mercedes’ George Russell has won a thrilling season-opening Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, with teammate Kimi Antonelli following him home for the team’s 61st one-two result and first since 2024’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Pole sitter Russell had a sluggish start, as did Antonelli who dropped to seventh, allowing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc - making best use of his smaller turbo for a quicker spool-up and getaway - to take the
lead into turn one.
The Monégasque then diced for the top spot with Russell, passing and repassing, before the lap 12 deployment of the virtual safety car to cover the stopped Red Bull car of Isack Hadjar - when both Mercedes cars stopped.
Leclerc was third for his first podium for Ferrari since Mexico last year, with the 28-year-old frustrated to lose out on a potential win after Ferrari erred by failing to follow Mercedes’ quick thinking for a cheap pit stop under the virtual safety car, as the rest of the field drove at a slower pace.
Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton was fourth.
Earlier, the local fans in the stands were heartbroken after McLaren’s Oscar Piastri crashed out on the way to the grid at the exit of turn four, likely due to an energy spike in his power unit, which ruled him out of his home race before the start.
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