Mercedes Shows Pace in Australian Practice, Antonelli Crashes
Melbourne, Australia – Mercedes displayed a significant leap in performance Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix, with George Russell setting the fastest lap in a chaotic third practice session. However, the session was marred by a heavy crash involving teammate Kimi Antonelli, leaving the team scrambling to repair his car ahead of qualifying.
Russell clocked a blistering time of 1:19.053, a full six tenths of a second ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who finished second. Charles Leclerc secured third, with Australian driver Oscar Piastri rounding out the top four.
The impressive pace from Mercedes comes after weeks of the team downplaying their potential, leading to speculation about a strategic shift in approach. The sudden surge in speed raises questions about the extent of upgrades implemented and their impact on the competitive landscape of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Antonelli, a young driver for Mercedes, lost control and collided with the barriers, bringing out a red flag. He emerged unharmed from the incident, but his car sustained significant damage. Mechanics are working against the clock to determine if it can be repaired in time for the qualifying session.
The practice session offered a preview of the potential challenges awaiting teams in the first qualifying session of 2026, with multiple delays, red flags, and crashes disrupting the flow.
Piastri, who had topped the timesheets in second practice on Friday, struggled to replicate that form on Saturday morning.
The incident with Antonelli underscores the inherent risks of Formula 1 and the pressure faced by drivers, particularly newcomers, to deliver consistent performance. The team confirmed both Russell and Antonelli will continue as the team’s driver line-up into 2026, according to Mercedes-AMG F1.
