George Russell says Australian GP good drama for TV but not most fun to drive

Well, at least the Netflix producers of Drive to Survive will have something to work with for the upcoming season.

The 2026 Formula 1 regulations have come under fire due to their new power units that deliver 50% of their power from the electric component, which has a battery not sufficient for the power needs of the new cars, which, from the chassis side, are brilliant.

Lando Norris, after previously defending the new cars, blasted them after Qualifying in Melbourne, but Russell, understandably, is still calling for patience in that regard.

Mercedes have apparently delivered the best package for 2026, with Russell now finally having a chance to fight for the Championship, and he has started off well with pole and a win in Melbourne.

While Mercedes ultimately won, Ferrari, with their lightning starts, gave them a challenge.

"Mega happy," the Briton reflected. "It was kind of a race we were expecting—chaotic start, difficult to match the battery—yoyoing a bit with the overtakes. The closing speeds are so big with these new cars, but it was mega.

"I was looking at my mirrors at Hadjar [at the start], and I had him [Charles Leclerc] covered, but then he came out of nowhere.

"A good race. Today was more aligned with what we thought. We maybe had a tenth or two advantage but not the seven tenths of yesterday," he claimed.

Mercedes managed to finish the race with one pit stop done under the Virtual Safety Car, but Russell revealed they were on the limit.

He said: "I thought the tyres wouldn't drop until I got to 0 percent tyre wear, with all the tyre rubber disappearing, so the last couple of laps I was a bit concerned, I must say. I felt confident in the car, knew where to push and where to save."

It was clear at the start, when Russell was fighting for position with Leclerc, that the pass was decided based on battery power rather than car pace and driver skill.

Russell was quizzed about the topic of the new driving style, which will prevail in 2026.

He explained: "The same way as last year when we had porpoising, I had to change my driving style in the high-speed or else the car would bounce off the track.

"Is it perfect right now? No," he admitted. "But it's race one of a long set of regulations, and this is probably the worst track for it. So we have to give it some time before everyone kicks off.

"Even though it wasn't maybe the most fun to drive, it actually made for some pretty good drama on TV," Russell concluded. (Source: Sky Sports F1)