Mercedes clinch 1-2 finish in Australia to kick off Formula 1 campaign in style

Brackley outfit Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team are hoping to build momentum in China this weekend after getting the 2026 F1 season off to a perfect start in Australia.

The Silver Arrows have been tipped as Constructors’ Championship favourites and they lived up to that billing in Melbourne, clinching a one-two finish with George Russell on the top step and Kimi Antonelli in second.

Mercedes driver George Russell celebrates on the podium next to second-placed teammate Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes powertrains managing director, as well as third-placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP via Getty Images)

placeholder image — Mercedes driver George Russell celebrates on the podium next to second-placed teammate Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes powertrains managing director, as well as third-placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP via Getty Images)

It marked Mercedes’ first one-two without Lewis Hamilton since 1955, when the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss achieved the feat.

Ferrari rounded off the podium with Charles Leclerc in third, while seven-time world champion Hamilton was merely half a second behind in fourth.

Ferrari brought the fight to Mercedes in the opening 15 laps or so as Leclerc and Russell repeatedly swapped the lead, however a strategy call during a virtual safety car helped the Silver Arrows control the remainder of the race.

Russell composed himself brilliantly after his feisty battle with Leclerc as the Brit claimed 25 points to kick off the Drivers’ Championship.

Meanwhile, Antonelli slipped from second on the grid to seventh as his battery - a key component under the new regulations - wasn’t charged up to full for the opening lap.

But the 18-year-old Italian made good use of the rocket ship underneath him - as well as Ferrari’s poor strategy call - to fight back and clinch 18 points.

Russell and Antonelli will be eager to secure another one-two finish at the Chinese GP, and they are favourites to do so thanks to the hard work from all of those back at the Brackley and Brixworth factories.

“Honestly, 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 start off in a better way,” Russell said.

Antonelli, who crashed in FP3 on Saturday and was saved by Mercedes mechanics ahead of qualifying, couldn’t have been more thankful.

“I think it’s going to be a fun year. Of course the team did incredibly,” Antonelli added.

“The team was able to fix the car yesterday and it allowed me to still perform. I’m super happy.”

Coming up is the first sprint weekend of the season, as Mercedes take to the track in Shanghai with a possible 58 points up for grabs.