2026 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, March 06 - 08

[AR3-GP]

Now is it really true that Russel did not even use the brake into T9 in Q3?

True

[FittingMechanics]

Now is it really true that Russel did not even use the brake into T9 in Q3?

True

https://i.postimg.cc/wBxdXBhD/image.png

Last corner in China will probably be the same. Maximum recharge.

[AR3-GP]

Now is it really true that Russel did not even use the brake into T9 in Q3?

True

https://i.postimg.cc/wBxdXBhD/image.png

Last corner in China will probably be the same. Maximum recharge.

So the new regs are removing corners?

[FittingMechanics]

True

https://i.postimg.cc/wBxdXBhD/image.png

Last corner in China will probably be the same. Maximum recharge.

So the new regs are removing corners?

Corner will be there but the superclip/lico will be fine tuned to avoid braking for these types of corners. Why brake if you can just harvest a bit more. Like Russell did in T9 in Melbourne.

[Apexseal157]

Last corner in China will probably be the same. Maximum recharge.

So the new regs are removing corners?

Corner will be there but the superclip/lico will be fine tuned to avoid braking for these types of corners. Why brake if you can just harvest a bit more. Like Russell did in T9 in Melbourne.

god that leaves a bitter taste, what a farce.

[PlatinumZealot]

Here’s something I don’t understand: why did so many drivers complain about no battery at the start? Shouldn’t they be charging all the way to the grid and then again on the formation lap (during which it’s surely ice only)? What am I missing?

They need to warm up the tires through acceleration and braking and perform a couple of burnouts before lining up in their grid slots, which is at odds with the need to preserve battery charge.

Some didn't have a charged battery, while others had cold rear tires, which triggered a lot of wheelspin.

That makes a certain amount of sense. But seeing that charging the battery is of such great importance with these cars, I’m surprised it wasn’t more of a priority. Russell said he had 0% - did he use all the battery warming his tyres? surely you could warm the tyres using only ICE? Even if not, why not hold at least a little bit in reserve?

As a separate but related point: I also don’t understand why they didn’t design these regs so batteries could be charged in the garage/on the grid (as you would for a plug in hybrid at home). It would save a lot of hassle with out laps (and extra charge laps) wouldn’t it?

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

[upsidedowntoast]

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

No, Leclerc was the one with 20%. Both George and Kimi had zero. See 0:14.

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2026- ... 4802746311

The Mercedes engineering team were also saying both George and Kimi started with completely depleted batteries.

[venkyhere]

They need to warm up the tires through acceleration and braking and perform a couple of burnouts before lining up in their grid slots, which is at odds with the need to preserve battery charge.

Some didn't have a charged battery, while others had cold rear tires, which triggered a lot of wheelspin.

That makes a certain amount of sense. But seeing that charging the battery is of such great importance with these cars, I’m surprised it wasn’t more of a priority. Russell said he had 0% - did he use all the battery warming his tyres? surely you could warm the tyres using only ICE? Even if not, why not hold at least a little bit in reserve?

As a separate but related point: I also don’t understand why they didn’t design these regs so batteries could be charged in the garage/on the grid (as you would for a plug in hybrid at home). It would save a lot of hassle with out laps (and extra charge laps) wouldn’t it?

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

[nitrotech]

That makes a certain amount of sense. But seeing that charging the battery is of such great importance with these cars, I’m surprised it wasn’t more of a priority. Russell said he had 0% - did he use all the battery warming his tyres? surely you could warm the tyres using only ICE? Even if not, why not hold at least a little bit in reserve?

As a separate but related point: I also don’t understand why they didn’t design these regs so batteries could be charged in the garage/on the grid (as you would for a plug in hybrid at home). It would save a lot of hassle with out laps (and extra charge laps) wouldn’t it?

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

Your tirade against George and Mercedes is becoming boring.

[organic]

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

Your tirade against George and Mercedes is becoming boring.

They have form with it. Do you not remember the porpoising fiasco?

[basti313]

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

I wonder whom you mean with "King Cobra"

When Russel opens his mouth he is mostly lying. Funny though even on the Mercedes Youtube channel...

And I do not think at all he has any competence in the strategic game. He is very good on tactical team radios, maybe the best as we have seen again in this race. Once Lec was anywhere close he was on the radio. Funny was the commentators "we will hear soon from Rus....oh there it is". The question if he is doing any good to himself by this nonsense not that he just needs to drive home this WDC.

On the other hand on the strategic game he is very inexperienced and not on a level where he should try it. His comments in testing were blunt lies, that it just hurts his position with the RedBull sandbagging. Or now the clumsy comments on internal driver discussions on compression ratio...he would better keep it clean and stay out, drive his WDC home and stop this nonsense.

[nitrotech]

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

I wonder whom you mean with "King Cobra"

When Russel opens his mouth he is mostly lying. Funny though even on the Mercedes Youtube channel...

And I do not think at all he has any competence in the strategic game. He is very good on tactical team radios, maybe the best as we have seen again in this race. Once Lec was anywhere close he was on the radio. Funny was the commentators "we will hear soon from Rus....oh there it is". The question if he is doing any good to himself by this nonsense not that he just needs to drive home this WDC.

On the other hand on the strategic game he is very inexperienced and not on a level where he should try it. His comments in testing were blunt lies, that it just hurts his position with the RedBull sandbagging. Or now the clumsy comments on internal driver discussions on compression ratio...he would better keep it clean and stay out, drive his WDC home and stop this nonsense.

Alternatively, you can stop listening to him outside of team radio on races. It's as easy as that. It would avoid all the unsavory comments.

[Rikhart]

Or it could be a simple case of 'lying'. Russel has grown into his 'political snake' role very well, afterall, he learns 'narrative building / political maneuvering' from King Cobra himself.

I wonder whom you mean with "King Cobra"

When Russel opens his mouth he is mostly lying. Funny though even on the Mercedes Youtube channel...

And I do not think at all he has any competence in the strategic game. He is very good on tactical team radios, maybe the best as we have seen again in this race. Once Lec was anywhere close he was on the radio. Funny was the commentators "we will hear soon from Rus....oh there it is". The question if he is doing any good to himself by this nonsense not that he just needs to drive home this WDC.

On the other hand on the strategic game he is very inexperienced and not on a level where he should try it. His comments in testing were blunt lies, that it just hurts his position with the RedBull sandbagging. Or now the clumsy comments on internal driver discussions on compression ratio...he would better keep it clean and stay out, drive his WDC home and stop this nonsense.

How bizarre, this is bordering on the pathological lying side of things.

[Mattchu]

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

No he didn`t, you can clearly hear he said "zero percent battery" at 0.14 seconds into this.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/video/1950 ... ing-battle

Edit: sorry didn`t see someone had already corrected this!

[mzso]

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

No, Leclerc was the one with 20%. Both George and Kimi had zero. See 0:14.

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2026- ... 4802746311

The Mercedes engineering team were also saying both George and Kimi started with completely depleted batteries.

I think it's paywalled.

In the cooldown room Russell told LEC he had 20% battery at the start. When he was interviewed later he said he had "close to zero." Remember that drivers are sportsmen and they exaggerate a lot!

No he didn`t, you can clearly hear he said "zero percent battery" at 0.14 seconds into this.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/video/1950 ... ing-battle

Edit: sorry didn`t see someone had already corrected this!

And this is country locked...


But more importantly why were they on such low charge levels? They had a whole warm-up lap to recharge and a whole track inspection lap (ow whatever it's called) before and I think it's still allowed to let them out fully charged from the pits.