Leclerc Wary Of Mercedes As Australian Grand Prix Practice Impresses

Charles Leclerc warned that Mercedes looked very strong during Australian Grand Prix practice, and suggested the team still had more speed to reveal. The Ferrari driver said Mercedes appeared especially quick on longer runs, raising expectations for the Formula One season opener in Melbourne.

Leclerc reflected on how the balance of power seemed to shift through the day, with Ferrari starting well before Mercedes raised the pace in the second session. The early signs left Leclerc expecting a tough fight against the Silver Arrows across the Albert Park weekend.

"FP1 looked positive but then FP2 I think the teams are showing little by little a bit more and, unfortunately, we seem to be on the back foot especially compared to Mercedes, that seems to be very, very strong," said Leclerc during post-session television interviews after practice.

Leclerc underlined that Mercedes still appeared to be hiding some performance, especially over a single lap. "I don't think that they showed everything in low fuel but on high fuel it was very impressive. It's the first time probably that we see how much there is to them and it's a bit more than what I would have liked, but it's the way it is."

During first practice at the Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc set the fastest time before Kimi Antonelli and George Russell moved ahead in the later running. In second practice, home driver Oscar Piastri topped the times for McLaren, with both Mercedes drivers lapping within 0.35 seconds of Piastri's benchmark.

Mercedes had already drawn attention across pre-season testing, where the car’s engine performance led some rival teams to raise questions about compliance with new engine regulations. Leclerc felt practice in Melbourne offered the clearest evidence yet of Mercedes’ potential strength over both short and long runs.

"Then, on the other side, it's been quite a positive start to the weekend and we'll keep working very hard in order to try and maximise everything for tomorrow." Leclerc added that Ferrari still had scope to adjust setup before qualifying, aiming to close the gap to Mercedes.

Russell’s growing influence within Mercedes formed part of the wider Australian Grand Prix practice narrative. Russell has started 152 Formula One races with Mercedes and Williams, yet has not mounted a championship challenge despite regular points finishes since joining the grid.

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Russell scored 319 points last season, which included victories in Canada and Singapore. The British driver also recorded seven podium finishes, marking Russell's highest podium count in a single Formula One campaign and reinforcing expectations that Russell could feature near the front in Melbourne.

As preparations continued for qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc’s comments pointed to a close fight at the front between Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren. Practice times, long-run pace and Russell’s recent form all suggested a competitive opening race, with Mercedes appearing especially well placed after Friday’s running.