The Briton and Mercedes were tipped pre-season as the ones to beat and they lived up to expectations in Melbourne.
Russell led home teammate Kimi Antonelli, with the pair eight-tenths quicker than Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in third.
“I think we knew as a team, or we thought we knew as a team, we had a really good package beneath us,” said Russell.
“There’s been so much hard work from everyone to deliver this. But I don’t think I thought it was this good.”
They showed their potential under sweeping new changes to engine and chassis rules, and with the cars smaller and lighter.
“The cars are more agile and you sort of slide them around a bit more, and it definitely is more easy to lock up and sort of run wide, move the rear,” added Russell.
“It wasn’t easy. Conditions out there today. It was quite windy, quite dusty, but I’m enjoying that.
“It feels more like a go-kart compared to last year. Felt like a bouncing bus, to be honest. Wasn’t as fun to drive.”
However, Max Verstappen said a “weird” braking failure caused him to crash out in the first session of Australian Grand Prix qualifying after the four-time world champion lost grip and slammed his Red Bull into a barrier.
Verstappen skidded out at turn one of the lakeside circuit but was unharmed and exited the car, having failed to record a single lap time.
“The car just … locked down the rear axles. Fantastic,” the Dutchman said on the team radio.
“I didn’t speak to the team yet or didn’t look into any data, but to lose a car like that on the braking, I’ve never experienced that in my life,” he said later.
“I hit the pedal and suddenly the whole rear axle just completely locked up. So, definitely a bit weird.” (AFP & Reuters)
Edited by Thomas McAlinden
