While George Russell is happy with his Mercedes, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton admits he has a fundamental problem with it. With the pair qualifying just behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in Melbourne, Fernando Alonso scoffed at Mercedes’ claim that the car concept is a dud. “Mercedes always say they want to throw the car away but the truth is that they are already fast. “I believe Alonso will be stronger over the race distance than the Mercedes drivers,” he told Servus TV. “But it came as a surprise to me how Mercedes came to Max. Hamilton says the result gives Mercedes “a glimpse of hope”, but he is not expecting to challenge Verstappen on Sunday.

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