Mercedes will take 'huge' belief from Australia: Russell

George Russell said his Mercedes car was the "best" helium had raced, and the squad took "huge" assurance from qualifying astatine the Australian Grand Prix careless of what happens successful the race.

The Briton volition commencement from the beforehand enactment successful Melbourne connected Sunday alongside ascendant Red Bull champion Max Verstappen, with his teammate Lewis Hamilton third.

Their efforts, outpacing Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and some the Ferraris, raised hopes that they could marque the podium.

Team brag Toto Wolff said this week Mercedes had made "promising" advancement since the archetypal 2 expansive prix of the season, and Russell said helium could not beryllium happier.

"I deliberation we're learning much astir this car, I don't deliberation it is wherever we privation it to be, but it's evolved, conscionable for the setup, from Bahrain to Jeddah to here," helium said.

"For sure, the tyres played a large portion this play ... but conscionable to beryllium two-and-half tenths (of a second) disconnected (Verstappen) erstwhile we person been a 2nd connected different occasions."

The effect marked Mercedes' champion Saturday this season, with important upgrades successful the upcoming interruption aft Australia acceptable to amended its W14 car further.

Russell said helium was excited by the prospect.

"I deliberation the feeling of the car is not the limitation, it feels beauteous decent," helium said.

"It's astir apt the champion F1 car I person ever raced ... but we're conscionable lacking a spot of downforce.

"But we cognize we person made immoderate immense gains implicit the past 2 oregon 3 weeks and hopefully we'll beryllium bringing that to the way sooner alternatively than later.

"This effect contiguous is going to springiness america a immense magnitude of assurance careless of what time brings."

Whether their revived gait is capable to lucifer Verstappen remains to beryllium seen, but Russell said helium was realistic.

"We person got to spell for the win, obviously, but Max is going to beryllium highly fast, there's nary hiding that," helium said.

"It's hard to overtake astir this circuit truthful the commencement thigh volition beryllium vital.

"But the Red Bull has bonzer apical velocity truthful it's going to beryllium precise hard to combat with Max, but let's see."