DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award

Mercedes crown one-two victory with DHL Fastest Pit Stop

New cars, new engines and a new pecking order: the 2026 season promises to be a tight contest, if only because of the many uncertainties. Few were surprised that Mercedes got off to the best start in the new era of changed regulations at the opening race. As early as the qualifying sessions, the Silver Arrows were showing that they are the ones to beat this year.

George Russell took pole position with a lead of eight-tenths of a second over the first non-Mercedes. He lost his starting position to Charles Leclerc going into the first corner, but the lead subsequently changed hands between the two drivers several times.

When the virtual safety car was deployed after Isack Hadjar's engine failure on lap 12, Ferrari stayed out on track. Mercedes meanwhile seized the opportunity to call Russell and Kimi Antonelli in for a tire change. The Mercedes pit crew faced a Herculean task: Russell and Antonelli were separated by only a few seconds.

Russell's pit stop had to be lightning fast - and it was. The tire change took 2.17 seconds, making it the first DHL Fastest Pit Stop of the year. Antonelli only had to slow down slightly and was able to seamlessly rejoin the race behind his team-mate.

The strategy earned the Silver Arrows a dominant one-two victory. "I knew we had the pace," said Russell afterwards. "It was a clean weekend. I think we delivered a good race."