George Russell tops final Australian GP practice after Antonelli crash
George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 in final practice for the Australian GP, but the session was marred by a heavy crash for Kimi Antonelli. The incident triggered a red flag and left the junior driver's car heavily damaged, casting a shadow over Mercedes' otherwise strong showing ahead of qualifying.
George Russell set the fastest time in the final practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, but the hour was overshadowed by a heavy crash for Mercedes junior driver Kimi Antonelli. The session was interrupted twice, first by a stoppage for Carlos Sainz's Williams and then by Antonelli's incident, which left his car heavily damaged but the driver unharmed.
Why it matters:
The final practice session before qualifying is a critical indicator of single-lap performance and car setup. Russell's late surge confirms Mercedes' strong pace from Friday, while Antonelli's crash will force the team into a significant repair job ahead of qualifying, potentially affecting his and the team's preparation.
The details:
- Late Lap Leader: George Russell vaulted to the top of the timesheets with a 1:19.053 on his final run, finishing over seven-tenths clear of the previous benchmark.
- Session Disruptions: The session saw two red flags.
- Carlos Sainz stopped his Williams at the pit entry with a technical issue, causing an eight-minute stoppage.
- Kimi Antonelli lost control of his Mercedes at Turn 2, sliding heavily into the wall and causing extensive rear-end damage. He was able to walk away from the incident.
- Competitive Order: Lewis Hamilton slotted into second for Ferrari, with teammate Charles Leclerc third. The times suggest a tight battle behind Mercedes, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar and Max Verstappen closely matched.
- Technical Troubles: Lance Stroll did not participate in the session due to an internal combustion engine issue on his Aston Martin.
What's next:
All focus now shifts to qualifying, where teams will translate their practice pace into grid positions.
- Mercedes appears to be the favorite for pole position, but Ferrari and McLaren look poised to challenge.
- The Mercedes team faces a race against time to repair Antonelli's car, which sustained substantial damage in the crash.
- All 20 cars that set a time in practice were within the 107% rule, meaning no immediate concerns over qualifying exclusion based on practice pace.