Mercedes’ British driver George Russell drives during the 2023 Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on April 2, 2023.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, but Mercedes also had reason to celebrate with their improved performance.
After the first race in Bahrain, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff admitted it was “one of their worst days,” and driver Lewis Hamilton even described the team as “the fourth-fastest.”
However, at the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton came in second place to pole-sitter Verstappen, and his teammate George Russell was also competitive until a mechanical failure ended his race early on.
Mercedes’ success came on the heels of a difficult 2022 season when Red Bull took home the constructor’s trophy, leaving Mercedes feeling uncertain about their future. But, with a solid showing in Saudi Arabia and an even better performance in Australia, Mercedes is starting to look like a contender again.
“Considering we’re down on performance, to be fighting with the Aston Martins is amazing for us at this point in the season,” said Hamilton, who faced some formidable opposition from Fernando Alonso and the struggling Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the race.
Despite the positive developments, Red Bull still remains the favorite, with Sergio Perez finishing fifth in Australia and setting the fastest lap time even though technical difficulties left him at the back of the starting grid.
Meanwhile, Ferrari is off to a slow start this season, with Leclerc wrecking his car on lap 1 of the Grand Prix, and teammate Sainz finishing 12th after incurring a five-second penalty.
In summary, while Red Bull may continue to dominate the Formula One tracks, Mercedes has shown signs of improvement and could challenge the reigning champions with their upgraded package in the coming races.
McLaren and AlphaTauri both earned points in the Grand Prix, leaving all the F1 constructors off the mark this season.