George Russell demands change immediately as Lewis Hamilton speaks out | F1 | Sport

Teammate Kimi Antonelli finished in second place to kick start Mercedes Constructors’ Championship bid with 43 points heading into China next weekend. Unlike his rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, Russell was pleased with his car on the opening weekend.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Russell said: “I’m feeling incredible, it was a hell of a fight at the beginning. We knew it was going to be challenging and I got on the grid and I saw my battery level had nothing in the tank.

“I made a bad start and obviously some really tight battles with Charles [Leclerc], so I was really glad to cross the finish line. Thank you so much for the whole team, it’s been a long time coming to have this car beneath us.

“I’m glad you guys enjoyed it, we had the suspicion that it was going to be a bit of a yoyo effect, as soon as one of us got in front it felt impossible to hold it. Obviously with this straight mode, we lose a lot of the front end on the cars, so we’re sort of just understeering a lot round these corners.

“Maybe the FIA are going to have to improve that a little bit because it was a bit sketchy, but I made it in one piece and I’m glad to be one-two.”

Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth and was asked whether he felt Ferrari should have pitted under the virtual safety car but said: “I really don’t know I need to go back and have a look, but I’m really proud of the team I think they’ve done an amazing job to get the car to where it is.

“We’re not as fast as the Mercedes and we’ve got work to do, but we’re right in the fight and that was a really fun race. It felt good for me and also in a couple of more laps I would have had Charles [Leclerc].

“I had great pace and lots of positives to take from today.”