Mercedes started the season with a bang, scoring maximum points in Australia as George Russell converted a dominant pole position into victory. But who else made the top 10 of our Power Rankings? Check out the latest scores and first leaderboard of the year below\u2026<\/p>\n
Russell<\/a> has experienced how it feels to win a race before, but only when Mercedes were not at their best, making this victory especially sweet with the knowledge that many more are possible this season. He built his speed up throughout the sessions and secured his eighth Grand Prix pole position by 0.293s over team mate Kimi Antonelli to firmly establish himself as the man to beat, and even when Charles Leclerc shot into the lead at lights out, the Briton patiently reclaimed the advantage and confidently maintained it until the chequered flag.<\/p>\n As the sole rookie on the grid, it would have been easy for Arvid Lindblad<\/a> to put his head down and try to stay out of trouble on his debut, but that\u2019s not what the 18-year-old had in mind. Instead, he qualified ninth to start just behind his Racing Bulls<\/a> team mate Liam Lawson, and charged through the field on the opening lap to reach P3. It wasn’t long before drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen caught up, giving Lindblad the chance to showcase his clean and brave defence. He ultimately scored four points in P8, marking a strong start for the youngster.<\/p>\n Antonelli\u2019s podium was undoubtedly a team effort as the first low point of his rollercoaster weekend began with a dramatic crash<\/a> into the wall during FP3. The repair job left for Mercedes was major, but they managed to turn things around with a handful of minutes left in Q1 and the Italian made the most of it, qualifying on the front row alongside Russell. That high was quickly balanced out by an underwhelming start that saw him drop down the order, but his recovery was determined and perfectly executed, ending with a satisfying P2 finish.<\/p>\n With the Silver Arrows’ performance advantage evident from Qualifying<\/a>, Ferrari faced an uphill battle \u2013 Leclerc<\/a> himself admitted that they were \u201cnowhere near Mercedes\u201d<\/a> after he qualified in fourth place. That was soon forgotten as he pulled off a superb launch, sailing into the lead of the race before engaging in a fierce back and forth with Russell. He lost out in the end, partially due to Ferrari\u2019s alternative strategy<\/a>, but maximised what he had to bring home P3.<\/p>\n Ollie Bearman<\/a> was the star of the midfield at Albert Park as he crossed the line in seventh place, becoming the first of the finishers from outside of the top four teams. 12 months on from his last place result \u2013 albeit in a race where six drivers retired \u2013 the 20-year-old masterfully gained five positions to net six points, which might prove crucial in what could be another intensely close fight for best of the rest.<\/p>\n Like Leclerc, Hamilton<\/a> was held back by Ferrari\u2019s one-lap pace but more than made up for it on the first few laps, improving from a lacklustre P7 to the top three. Although he was unable to maintain the place, eventually settling for fourth, it seemed to be a return of the Hamilton of old who felt at one with his car \u2013 afterwards, he commented<\/a> that he \u201ccould have kept going\u201d in what was a \u201creally fun\u201d race, signifying a stark change from the struggles of last season.<\/p>\n The early signs of potential shown by Alpine<\/a> in pre-season testing seemed to fade as Pierre Gasly<\/a> and Franco Colapinto were both knocked out in Q2. However, the Frenchman fought back to improve by four positions \u2013 he notably came out on top in a clash with former team mate Esteban Ocon, which was pivotal in enabling him to claim the final point on offer in the 58-lap race.<\/p>\n Few thought that Gabriel Bortoleto<\/a> would keep up with his veteran team mate Nico Hulkenberg when he joined as a rookie last season, but the Brazilian driver has proved time and again that he\u2019s not to be underestimated. With a brand new Audi<\/a> power unit at his command, he squeezed into the top 10 in Qualifying. While he was unable to set a lap due to a technical issue, it was deemed a brilliant result on the squad\u2019s debut. In case that wasn\u2019t impressive enough, he moved up a spot to secure two points as the only Audi driver to start the race.<\/p>\n The first weekend of the new regulations was always going to be a steep learning curve, and Verstappen<\/a> experienced that more than most. He knew ahead of the weekend<\/a> that Red Bull weren\u2019t quite at Mercedes\u2019 level, but couldn\u2019t predict that he would qualify 20th after suffering a massive crash. Although no driver errors were involved, it nevertheless left him with a mission on his hands, which he carried out in signature Verstappen style \u2013 the Dutchman stormed through the pack and took the chequered flag in P6.<\/p>\n