Martin Brundle believes Mercedes lack a ‘natural speed’ at the Australian GP after he saw Lewis Hamilton put in ‘a lot of effort’ without a reward in qualifying on Saturday.
The 39-year-old produced his joint-worst qualifying at any Australian GP with Hamilton only able to match his P11 from 2010. Mercedes teammate George Russell also struggled, as the 26-year-old had to settle for P7. The Silver Arrows even nearly saw both cars bow out in Q2.
Russell could only manage the 10th-fastest lap in the second stage of qualifying. His lap time was also just 0.059 seconds faster than the 1:16.960 that Hamilton managed to secure a P11 start for Sunday’s race. Russell shaved his time down to 1:16.724 in Q3 to get P7 for the grid.
Lewis Hamilton had his joint-worst Australian GP qualifying ever
The warning signs in qualifying for the Australian GP were there for Mercedes following the first runs of Q2. Ferrari exile Carlos Sainz, who Hamilton will replace in 2025, led the second stage with a 1:16.189. Russell posted his 1:16.901 over the first runs to Hamilton’s 1:17.014.
Yet while Russell’s time was, ultimately, enough to reach Q3, Hamilton bowed out – despite improving his lap time. The seven-time F1 champion could only shave 0.054 seconds off his provisional Q2 time. It meant he remained at risk in P9 having failed to improve his position.
Faster times from Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll (1:16.780) and Visa Cash App RB gem Yuki Tsunoda (1:16.791) would push Hamilton out of the top 10 and of qualifying. But they would not out-qualify Russell in Q3, with Tsunoda and Stroll following in front of Fernando Alonso.
Martin Brundle feels Mercedes lack ‘natural speed’ in Melbourne
Sky Sports F1 pundit Brundle felt Hamilton put in ‘a lot of effort’ to haul his Mercedes to P11 in qualifying for the Australian GP. He also felt the Briton, along with compatriot Russell, had to hustle the W15 to unlock any pace as the Silver Arrows’ 2024 car struggled at Albert Park.
“It seems to me the two Mercedes drivers really have to drag a time out of their cars,” said Brundle on Sky Sports F1 (23/3, 05:30). “They don’t have any easy, natural speed in that car around here.”
Brundle also added (23/3, 05:40): “[Hamilton] stays P9 and that was a lot of effort for a very marginal improvement. He was right out to the white line, maximising the width of the race track and it still wouldn’t yield him much more.”
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