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George Russell believes Mercedes showed a clear advantage over Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix after securing an impressive podium finish. The British driver started his 2025 Formula 1 season on a high note by finishing third in Melbourne, improving upon his previous best season opener—P4 in Bahrain 2022.
Norris Takes Victory Amid Chaos
Russell joined race winner Lando Norris and reigning World Champion Max Verstappen on the podium in a Grand Prix filled with drama. A late-race error by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who was in contention for a strong finish, allowed Russell to maintain his place in the top three.
Mercedes vs. Ferrari – An Early Upper Hand?
Heading into the race, many expected Mercedes and Ferrari to be closely matched in terms of pace. However, Russell outqualified Charles Leclerc and his teammate Lewis Hamilton on Saturday before finishing five places ahead of the Monegasque on Sunday. This led him to believe that Mercedes may have an early-season advantage over their Italian rivals.
“The pace of the car was kind of where we finished, really,” Russell commented. “We definitely seemed a step ahead of Ferrari, but the McLarens especially seemed a big step ahead of us.”
Russell’s Strategy: Staying Out of Trouble
When asked about the key to securing a podium finish, Russell emphasized the importance of keeping it clean.
“To be honest, from the beginning, it was clear that these guys were just too quick for us, and we were quicker than the Ferraris, so I was kind of in no man’s land,” he explained. “I just made the decision quite early on that the best way to approach this race was just to bring it home.”
With McLaren and Red Bull clearly ahead, Russell saw no benefit in taking unnecessary risks.
“If I risked it more, there was no more reward on the table because they were just so far ahead,” he added.
A Difficult but Rewarding Podium
Russell acknowledged that the challenging mixed-weather conditions added to the difficulty of the race.
“I’m very pleased to come home in P3,” he said. “It was not an easy race for anyone, and just keeping it on the road was a handful in itself, but I’m really happy with the podium.”
Antonelli Impresses on Debut
His rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli also had a remarkable race, fighting his way up to fourth after starting 16th. Though he initially dropped to fifth due to a five-second penalty for an unsafe pit release, the penalty was later overturned, reinstating his P4 finish.
Russell praised the young Italian’s efforts:
“He did an amazing job to come all the way to P4 from 16th, so he deserved that after yesterday because he definitely deserved a better result than what he had in Qualifying.”
Looking Ahead
With a strong performance in Australia, Mercedes appears to be in a better position than expected, at least compared to Ferrari. However, Russell remains realistic about the challenge ahead, especially against the pace of McLaren and Red Bull.
The next race in China will provide further insights into how the competitive order is shaping up for the 2025 season.
