George Russell now leads the drivers’ championship for the first time in his career following victory in the Australian Grand Prix.
George Russell revealed how Mercedes’ concerns about a back-and-forth race at the Australian Grand Prix came true during his early duel with Charles Leclerc for the lead. Despite starting from pole position, Russell struggled off the line as Leclerc took the lead, leading to a fierce battle between the two drivers, with positions changing a total of seven times in the opening stint. Russell decided to pit under a virtual safety car on Lap 11, but Ferrari didn’t follow suit, opting for a pit-stop during green flag conditions instead. Despite facing tire graining issues, Russell managed to secure his sixth grand prix victory and took the lead in the drivers’ championship after completing 46 laps on the hard tires. Russell expressed gratitude towards his team for the hard-fought victory and acknowledged the challenges he faced, particularly with the “yo-yo” effect during the race. He recognized the difficulties posed by the straight mode affecting the car’s handling, creating understeer in the corners, but was relieved to finish the race without major issues.
