168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri has dismissed Mercedes driver 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell’s claims about McLaren’s F1 advantage as being “far-fetched”.

McLaren backed their billing as title favourites as 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Home hero Piastri would have likely made it a 1-2 had he not spun off when a late rain😼 shower hit.

Russell suggested last weekend that McLaren boasts such a margin they could 𝓰already stop ⛎developing their 2025 car and switch focus to 2026.

Speaking ahead 🌃of this weekend’s second round in China, Russell claimed McLaren’s car 🐟is good enough to win every race in 2025, but implied Norris and Piastri won’t make the most of the advantage.

“Their car should win every race but I don’t think they will win every race this year. Let’s see,” the Mercedes driver told 🐈media in Shanghai on Thursdayꦗ.

“The gap they have this year on everybody is bigger than Red B💯ull has ever had. But when Max was in that car he was pretty reliable every single lap he did every single run in Q3, throughout qualifying, never really a question.

“Hopefully we can be there to capitalise like we were at the weekend, as that should have been a one-two for those guys. Three or four tenths [was Verstappen’s advantage in ꦏ2023], the advantage we’re seeing from McLaren rig🔯ht now is definitely bigger than that”.

But Piastri has rejected Russell’s comments, describing one of the Briton’s statements as “🌊pretty far-fetched”.

“I'll let you decide which one,” the Australian said. "But, no, I think, you know, clearly our car was very strong in Melbourn🎉e. I think there's no denying that. I think we got to a p❀lace where it was also handling well.

“You know, of course we're racing drivers, we're never g𒁃onna have everything we want, but I think it was clear that ♈in all the conditions in Melbourne, our car was very strong.”

Piastri happy for Russell to write off 2025

Piastri said he has no qualms with Russell wr🌄iting off his and Mercedes’ season at such an early stage.

“George, he's come up with some funny things in the 🌳last couple of weeks. We'll see,” he quipped.

"I think, you know, it's just one 🐠race, it's been a track that's been competitive for us the last couple of years, even when our car wasn't as dominant as a Red Bull. So, I think we'll go to different tracks where we will struggle more. That's for sure.

"So, if he wants to write 🍌off his season after the first weekend, then I'll let him do that. But, I think we're very aware that, you know, Melbourne was, I think, an exceptional weekend rather than what we're expꦓecting to be the norm."