MELBOURNE (dpa-AFX) - Mercedes driver George Russell has secured victory in the first race of Formula 1's new era. The Briton finished ahead of his Italian teammate Kimi Antonelli at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Behind them, Monaco's Charles Leclerc steered his Ferrari to third place. World champion Lando Norris had to settle for fifth in his McLaren for the season opener, while four-time champion Max Verstappen finished sixth for Red Bull.
In contrast, Nico Hülkenberg experienced a complete fiasco, failing to even start in Audi's debut as a factory team. The 38-year-old from the Rhineland was forced to watch from the sidelines at short notice due to technical problems. He was joined by local hero Oscar Piastri; last season's third-place finisher crashed into the barriers on the way to the starting grid, destroying his McLaren.
Following Formula 1's major regulatory overhaul, the cars are now shorter, lighter, and narrower. The engines are powered roughly 50 percent by an internal combustion engine, with the remaining power sourced from a battery. This forces drivers into constant energy recovery, requiring a significantly adapted driving style./two/DP/zb
