George Russell delivered a controlled victory at the Australian Grand Prix as Formula 1's new energy-focused era made its competitive debut. After a brief, intense battle with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the opening laps—driven by the cars' new electric boost and overtake modes—Russell pulled clear and kept the lead to the finish. Leclerc and Russell exchanged the lead several times early on while managing short bursts of extra electrical power and subsequent recharging, but Ferrari's strategic call during a virtual safety car (VSC) ultimately cost them a shot at victory.
Mercedes scored a 1-2 with Russell ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc recovered to third, with Lewis Hamilton fourth. Russell described the race as physically and mentally demanding after a poor start and close first-lap battles, but said he was thrilled to come through to win. Lando Norris, the reigning world champion for McLaren, held onto fifth, while Max Verstappen recovered from a 20th-place start to finish sixth.
Home favourite Oscar Piastri was forced out before the race proper after crashing on his way to the grid when he lost control over a kerb and hit the wall. One of the weekend's standout s
