With Lewis Hamilton retiring early and George Russell crashing out late, Mercedes suffered their first double ‘Did Not End’ (DNF) at a Method One race in over 5 years on the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, piling on but extra early season gloom.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton lasted 17 laps at Albert Park earlier than rolling to halt with an influence unit failure, whereas Russell took a skid into gravel at Flip Six earlier than smashing right into a barrier on the finish of the race.

It was the primary double DNF for Mercedes since Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas retired with technical troubles on the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix.

With zero factors taken in a race gained by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Mercedes have now slumped to fifth within the constructors’ championship behind leaders Crimson Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin.

“[It’s] robust to take, tremendous robust,” downcast workforce boss Toto Wolff informed reporters. “And I might be mendacity if I might say I really feel optimistic in regards to the state of affairs and optimistic however you simply want to beat the nagging, damaging ideas and say, ‘we are going to flip this round’.

“However in the present day it feels very, very brutal.”

– Unlapped: Hearken to ESPN’s F1 podcast

Hamilton, who gained six of his world titles with Mercedes, will be part of Ferrari in 2025 and could also be counting down the times till his exit.

With solely eight factors from the primary three races, the Briton has by no means had a worse begin to an F1 season.

Hamilton’s setback on Sunday got here a day after qualifying eleventh, his worst at Albert Park since 2010.

He did his greatest to placed on a courageous face, saying issues may very well be worse, however admitted the struggles of Mercedes’ W15 automobile have been robust on the spirit.

“I feel for everybody within the workforce, when a lot work is occurring all through the winter for everyone, you are available excited, motivated and pushed, and then you definately’re with the mindset that you’ll be preventing for wins,” he added.

“After which clearly that is not the case. And then you definately’re like, ‘OK, perhaps second, third’. No, it isn’t the case, and it cascades a bit additional down. And also you simply undergo the motions. It is difficult.”

The Mercedes automobiles ran cold and warm by means of the weekend, with dealing with issues, bouncing and bother at high-speed corners.

Wolff mentioned the efficiency issues have been nonetheless mystifying for the workforce.

“We have got to essentially dig deep,” he added.