The Australian Grand Prix is ​​an early event for European fans: the starting lights go out in Melbourne at 5 a.m. Dutch time, but those who get out of bed for this – or watch Formula 1 from their bed – are often treated to an entertaining race. That chance seems to be high again this year.
Things did not go smoothly for Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing in the free practice sessions. The Dutchman was not having a good time in the RB20, and first had to tolerate Lando Norris in the free practice sessions, and later Charles Leclerc twice. Verstappen also had a lot of competition from the men in red in qualifying. In Q1, newly recovered Carlos Sainz set the fastest time, and in Q2 both Ferrari drivers were faster than Verstappen.
The Dutchman still struck in Q3. For the first time in the weekend he set the fastest time. In fact, he completed not one, but two laps that were fast enough for pole position. Leclerc had a sloppy final part of qualifying, finishing fifth, while Sainz managed to take a place on the front row despite a mistake. Sergio Pérez set the third fastest time, but was dropped to P6 due to Nico Hülkenberg’s delay. Both McLaren drivers and Leclerc therefore move up one spot. Mercedes disappointed, with Lewis Hamilton only in eleventh place.
Do the tires provide a spectacle?
In the race it will mainly be about the tires. Pirelli deliberately brought softer tires than last year, which causes graining. Pirelli, like many teams, is counting on a two-stopper, and keeping the ‘black gold’ alive will be crucial for the outcome. Verstappen indicated after qualifying that he is not yet sure. The Limburger himself still struggled with grain formation of the rubber during the free practice sessions, and pointed out Ferrari’s strong racing simulations.
F1 Live 05:00 | Australian Grand Prix 2024
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