George Russell, from Mercedes, explained why the team’s cars started the Australian GP with the battery almost empty and criticized “selfish views” that block changes to the start rules for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Briton revealed an “error” related to the energy recovery limit during the formation lap, which caught many teams by surprise.
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“I think there was an error that caught many teams by surprise, which was the recovery limit on the formation lap, a very peculiar rule. In every lap, there is a recovery limit,” said Russell. He detailed the difference between grid positions: “The drivers in the first half of the grid were already within that lap. So, when they did the formation lap and started, they were spending and charging the battery, which counts towards the recovery limit. The drivers behind, when they started, it is reset because they are on the next lap.”
Russell explained that the FIA (International Automobile Federation) considered adjusting the rule, but was blocked by some teams: “Some teams that were making good starts didn’t want to, which I think is a bit silly. But I’m not extremely concerned. The FIA just wanted to make our lives easier and remove this limit, but often people have selfish views and want to do what’s best for themselves. We’ll deal with it and I think the starts will be much better.”
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Despite the problem, Russell and Kimi Antonelli achieved a 1-2 finish for Mercedes in Melbourne with a good advantage over Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
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