George Russell has admitted he always expected a tight contest on Sunday, with the Mercedes driver left delighted following his triumph at the Australian Grand Prix.
The British star finished ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc to secure victory in the opening race of the 2026 Formula One season.
It was a tight contest, with Russell and Leclerc exchanging places early on before the 28-year-old secured the sixth race win of his career.
Speaking afterwards, he admitted to suspecting that things would be tight – while also expressing his delight after sending out a major statement of intent.
“I’m feeling incredible. It was a hell of a fight at the beginning,” he said.
“We knew it was going to be challenging. I got on the grid, I saw my battery level had nothing in the tank, made a bad start, and then some really tight battles with Charles, so I was really glad to cross the finish line.
“Thank you so much to the whole team, because it’s been a long time coming to have this car beneath us, and we couldn’t have started off in a better way.
The Top 🔟 is IN! 👊
These are your points finishers in Australia 👇#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/nFQBjQBu0s
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 8, 2026
“We had this suspicion that it was going to be a bit of a yoyo effect, and as soon as one of us got in front, it just felt impossible to hold it.”
It was a dream start for Mercedes, with Antonelli securing second on the podium with a drive beyond his years.
After 91 days, the Silver Arrows genuinely look capable of dominating the field for the first time since the days of Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth for Ferrari.
F1 facts fans might not know | GETTY/GBNEWS
Antonelli reacted to the big event by saying: “It’s the best start we could have wished for.
“Unfortunately, the start was really bad and I lost a lot of places and I found myself I had to recover.
“Overall, it was a good race. The pace was very strong, especially at the end.
“The racing was incredible in the first few laps. The Overtake Mode is so powerful that it can give a lot of action. It was really good fun at the beginning.
“A bit of rest and looking forward to China.”
Leclerc, meanwhile, admitted to finding things ‘very tricky’ and said he was pleased with how he performed, particularly at the beginning.
George Russell celebrates with Mercedes staff after winning the Australian Grand Prix | GETTY
“It was a very tricky race!” he said.
“Honestly, at the start, none of us knew what to expect with the fights, the energy. It’s even more tricky with the overtakes.
“You don’t know when your battery will cut on the straights, so while defending there are massive speed differences.
“It was quite challenging but I was happy to get out of the battle in first.
“Unfortunately, that didn’t help us for the rest of the race but it was a fun first part of the race. P3 was the best we could do today.”
