“Same as last year”: Lewis Hamilton details the gap difference between Mercedes and Red Bull 

Lewis Hamilton discussed the pace gap between Mercedes and Red Bull that he encountered firsthand while racing against Sergio Perez in the 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix.

The Briton's race came to an early end after a suspected engine failure on lap 17 left him with no option but to retire from the race. Regardless, he did spend some time battling with Sergio Perez, the sole Red Bull on the track after Max Verstappen shockingly retired on the third lap due to a mechanical failure.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the race, Hamilton revealed that the gap between Mercedes and Red Bull was the same as last year.

“I think they have a second on us. Something like that. I mean he was on fresh tires, but just the way he pulled down the straight… I was like… same as last year.”

This review from the seven-time world champion, despite the W15 being projected as a much more competitive car than their last year's challenger, was a serious indication of the team's state.

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Nightmare weekend for Mercedes in Australia ends with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell out of the race

Lewis Hamilton suffered an engine failure and had to retire early from the race. His teammate George Russell was the only hope remaining for the Brackley-based outfit as he made his way through the field.

Although not fighting at the top, Russell did manage to get in a few overtakes and drive neatly for most of the race. He was one of the last drivers to pit, as he told the team that the tires were still feeling good to him even after driving on them for more than 30 laps.

During the final lap of the race, however, George Russell lost the car on turn 6 and crashed into the barriers while battling Fernando Alonso. The race ended under the virtual safety car.

Fernando Alonso was later given a drive-through penalty by the stewards (post-race) which was then converted to a 20-second time penalty. The stewards' analysis of the Spaniard's telemetry found that he lifted the throttle 100 meters earlier into the corner, making it almost impossible for Russell to react and thus resulting in the crash.

While the Aston Martin driver dropped down to P8, it did not help Mercedes as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could not finish the race. The team stands in fourth place in the championship, with midfield rivals Aston Martin just one point behind them.