It’s day 2 of the Australian Grand Prix, and today, we finally got to find out which teams have the upper hand heading into the season. So, who will be starting the race up front, and which teams disappointed? Stay with Supercars.com.GH to find out!
FP3
Local hero Oscar Piastri had the bragging rights in FP3, setting the fastest time of 1:15.921, narrowly edging out George Russell and Max Verstappen. Ollie Bearman’s difficult weekend continued with another crash, this time spinning into the gravel at Turn 11, causing a brief red flag.
Max Verstappen initially led the session but faced issues with what he called a “loose” car in the final sector, preventing him from improving. Liam Lawson’s struggles persisted, with Red Bull reporting a power unit problem forcing him to retire early.
The session ended with a flurry of late soft tire runs, causing a rapid reshuffling of the timesheets. Russell, Verstappen, and Piastri all improved, with Piastri ultimately topping the charts. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed, slotting into fifth, while the Williams pair of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz showed strong pace. Lewis Hamilton finished eighth, while Lando Norris abandoned a promising lap.
- Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.921
- George Russell Mercedes 1:15.960
- Max Verstappen RedBull 1:16.002
Qualifying
We are starting the year with a Papaya 1-2, as Lando Norris secured pole position ahead of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. Norris’s blistering lap of 1:15.096s edged out Piastri by a mere 0.084s, denying the Australian pole at his home race. Max Verstappen, initially on provisional pole, had to settle for third.
Yuki Tsunoda delivered an impressive performance, placing his Racing Bulls car fifth, while Alex Albon showcased Williams’ potential by qualifying sixth. Ferrari struggled, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton managing only seventh and eighth, respectively.
Aston Martin faced a double Q2 elimination, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll exiting early. Rookies experienced mixed fortunes: Ollie Bearman’s woes continued with a gearbox issue, preventing him from setting a lap, and Kimi Antonelli missed Q2. Liam Lawson’s Red Bull debut also ended in Q1.
- Lando Norris McLaren 1:15.912
- Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:16.062
- Max Verstappen RedBull 1:16.018
If the predictions are correct, we’ve got a wet-to-dry race tomorrow on our hands! Make sure to stay with Supercars.com.GH throughout this year for our exclusive coverage of each Grand Prix.