Melbourne, March 7 -- George Russell underlined Mercedes' status as favorite for the 2026 Formula One World Championship by taking pole position for the season-opening AustralianGrand Prix here on Saturday.
Mercedes dominated qualifying at Melbourne's Albert Park, with teammate Kimi Antonelli setting the second-fastest time, around half a second clear of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar in third.
Hadjar's teammate Max Verstappen will start 20th on the grid after spinning out in the opening phase of qualifying, with the four-time world champion saying his rear wheels locked while braking for Turn 1.
"It was a great day. We knew there was a lot of potential in the car, but until you reach that first Saturday of the season you never really know. It ...