The first qualifying of the season is done, and with small margins making a big difference, the competitive field delivered an action-packed session.
Q1
The pit lane exit was packed right away, led by the Haas cars. Having completed only 14 laps across all Free Practice sessions, Oliver Bearman needed valuable track time. However, his run was cut short as he headed straight back into the pits due to gearbox issues.
All teams except Mercedes started the session on soft tyres. The German team chose mediums to save their softs for later.
With 12 minutes on the clock, Lando Norris set the fastest time, with his teammate Oscar Piastri close behind in P2.
Max Verstappen later split the two McLaren cars, excelling in the middle sector while the papaya duo dominated the final one. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson struggled, running wide into the gravel multiple times and ending his session in P18.
Ferrari’s pace put Charles Leclerc in P4, as Lewis Hamilton opted for another set of slick tyres to ensure a strong lap, finishing P6 as the checkered flag got waved.
Rookies, Jack Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto, surprised by outqualifying their more experienced teammates. Bortoleto knocked out Kimi Antonelli at the end of the session, leaving the Italian driver in P16. According to Mercedes, Antonelli’s car suffered bib damage, which impacted his performance.
Out in Q1
16. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
17. Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber)
18. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
19. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
20. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Q2
In Q2, Verstappen was the first to hit the track on soft tyres, with the Ferraris following on used sets.
Once again, both McLaren drivers put together strong laps, securing the top two positions.
Drivers such as Alonso and Sainz ran wide over the kerbs, forcing Alonso to abandon his lap. Both reached out to their teams over the radio for floor check-ups, leading to additional pit visits.
With five minutes to go, both Ferraris switched to new soft tyres. Struggling with overheating, the best positions they could secure were P5 for Leclerc and P6 for Hamilton.
Home favourite Jack Doohan put together a good lap, which was eventually deleted due to track limits at Turn 12. His struggle continued during his final lap of the session. Hamilton had a spin at Turn 11, leaving him facing the wrong way and bringing out the yellow flag. Doohan then had to lift and abort his flying lap, as failing to do so would have resulted in trouble with the stewards.
Out in Q2
11. Isack Hadjar (VCARB)
12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
14. Jack Doohan (Alpine)
15. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)
Q3
In the top ten shootout, Piastri led the way with dark clouds hovering over Albert Park. The home favourite had a moment at Turn 14, losing precious time. Norris’s lap wasn’t better, eventually getting deleted for track limits.
Leclerc, on the other hand, set a strong time, securing provisional pole, which was later taken by Russell and eventually Verstappen. Less than a tenth separated the top three.
As always, all drivers headed back to the pits in the middle of Q3, and with only four minutes remaining, they all returned to the track to secure the pole position.
As the fans cheered on Piastri, his personal best sectors put him in P1. However, pole position was eventually claimed by his teammate Norris, with a margin of 0.084 seconds.
The four-time world champion, Verstappen, eventually secured P3, with Russell behind in P4.
Yuki Tsunoda had an amazing qualifying overall, securing P5 with some help from a tow by Norris. The Japanese driver himself described his final lap as magical.
Williams’ strong pace was confirmed by Alex Albon, who finished in P6, outperforming both Ferrari drivers, with Leclerc in a disappointing P7 and Hamilton in P8. Hamilton seemed pleased to match his teammate, even though both he and his teammate now occupy the fourth row.
The top ten was completed by Pierre Gasly in P9 and Carlos Sainz in P10, with less than a second separating all ten drivers.
Top 10
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:15.096
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:15.180
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1:15.481
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:15.546
- Yuki Tsunoda (VCARB) – 1:15.670
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 1:15.737
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:15.755
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:15.973
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 1:15.980
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 1:16.062
The grid is now set for the feature race on Sunday, but with the possibility of rain tomorrow, strategies, luck, and mastering the conditions will play a huge role, potentially mixing the standings once again.