‘I’m just very sorry’, Piastri pain punishes fans as mighty Mercedes dominate Australian Grand Prix

World championship favourite George Russell and Mercedes have opened their account in style around Albert Park, winning the Australian Grand Prix by 3 seconds in front of a crowd of 137,869 strong. Kimi Antonelli came home to complete a one-two for the Silver Arrows in just his second season.

Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium for Ferrari. The Monegasque flew off the line to take the lead, but a mixture of poor strategy and slower pace saw it a bridge too far.

The biggest story early on was the crash from Oscar Piastri on his lap to the grid before the grand prix. The devastation was clear to see on all Australian fans’ faces, but no man was more disappointed than Piastri himself, who fronted the media during the grand prix.

“I’m obviously disappointed; a scenario like that just shouldn’t happen,” Piastri said.

“I think the first part I want to stress is there is certainly a big element of it that was me, cold tyres. I have used that exit kerb every lap of the weekend, but I didn’t have to.

“I’m just very sorry for everyone that came out and wanted to support me, it’s clearly not the way I wanted to start the year either.”

‘That’s not racing, that’s Formula E’, further lamentations on 2026 engines

At the front of the grid, we saw Leclerc get his Ferrari off the line in lightning speed, something that was alluded to in testing. But with the power of the overtake button, we quickly saw a see-sawing battle for the lead, which was thrilling. Not everyone loved the new boost button as a regulation, with last year’s world champion, Lando Norris, quickly ruling the system as ineffective and artificial.

“It’s a shame it’s very artificial,” Norris said to the media, including F1 Chronicle.

“Depending on just what the power unit decides to do and randomly does at times.

“You just get overtaken by five cars and can do nothing about it.”

Ollie Bearman, who scored points in the Haas, agreed that the system around a track like Albert Park is ineffective and can hold you up when the overtake is so detrimental.

“Unless you basically complete the move at the start of the straight and then harvest, harvest, harvest, they’re going to get you back,” Bearman said to F1 Chronicle.

“That’s not racing, that’s Formula E.”

The front of the field, including the dominant Mercedes drivers Russell and Antonelli, doesn’t believe the overtake button or new regulations impacted the quality of the grand prix, calling for caution before any changes are made by the FIA, as rumoured that could be on the cards mid-season. Charles Leclerc also said that, despite the differences, it’s not an objectively bad change in his opinion.

“It’s definitely different,” Russell said to F1 Chronicle.

“Everyone’s very quick to criticise things. You need to give it a shot.”

“I just think it will definitely change the way we go about racing,” Leclerc followed up.

“Every boost button activation, you’re going to pay the price big time after that.

“You have to think multiple steps ahead… It’s a different way to go racing.”

Ferrari led in the early stages but failed to pit either Leclerc or his teammate Lewis Hamilton, in which the British driver jumped on the radio to question the team’s decision not to split strategies to fight his former team. Charles was quick to defend the call post-race, saying it was his choice to stay out and that he thought a second opportunity to pit would come, as proven by testing and early sessions in the weekend.

“I don’t regret it,” Leclerc said.

“It was a wanted choice and a conscious choice. We knew there would be a very high chance this wouldn’t be the only VSC of the race.

“Reality was we had another VSC and one that was particularly well placed, but unfortunately for us, the pit entry was closed, and we couldn’t take it.”

Ferrari’s race pace wasn’t terrible compared to the Mercedes, but ultimately, it most likely would have been enough to win the race. No doubt in qualifying Mercedes leads all comers convincingly, but with different track characteristics, the gap may close during future Grands Prix.

The 2026 Australian Grand Prix, in some ways, was an experiment, and the battle at the front proved that potential can be there for solid racing at the front if Ferrari can take a future step. The weekend crowd of 483,934- the highest in the history of the grand prix being in Melbourne proved that interest remains with this new era of the sport.

The Chinese Grand Prix next weekend will be a new challenge for all teams, but it certainly looks like Mercedes and Ferrari will be the teams to beat, being a step ahead of both McLaren and Red Bull.

Written by

Oliver van Bronswijk

Oliver van Bronswijk is a Formula 1, Cricket and AFL journalist who has a large array of industry experience in Melbourne, Australia. He has delivered Formula 1 coverage both trackside and from afar, depicting the key issues in the world's fastest sport. Oliver also works as a 3AW Content Producer focused on AFL coverage working in the inner sanctum.

More articles by Oliver van Bronswijk →