In the early stages of the race, the lead frequently changed hands between George Russell and Charles Leclerc
George Russell took a comfortable victory in the Australian Grand Prix at the start of a new era of Formula 1 after a brief early scrap with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
Russell and Leclerc staged a close fight for the first 10 laps with frequent lead changes before Ferrari's decision to stay out during a virtual safety car period took them out of contention for the win.
The Briton led home team-mate Kimi Antonelli while Leclerc had to be satisfied with the final podium position ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren's world champion Lando Norris finished fifth, fending off a challenge in the closing laps from Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who recovered from 20th on the grid to finish sixth.
