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Formula 1 Australian GP

F1 Australian GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying

Saturday's action from the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18

Over two years on from the cancelled Australian GP due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, F1 returns to a revamped Albert Park.

The key track changes see sections of the circuit widened, the Turn 9-10 chicane taken out to increase speeds in a flowing back section and the entire layout has been resurfaced. All changes have been made in the hope of increasing overtaking opportunities and creating more exciting races.

Sebastian Vettel is back for Aston Martin after missing the opening two races having tested positive for COVID-19 and had an eventful Friday after suffering an engine failure in FP1 which ruled him out of second practice, while he also picked up a €5000 fine for riding a scooter on-track back to the pits after FP1.

F1 world championship leader Charles Leclerc topped Friday practice for Ferrari from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, after Carlos Sainz Jr was fastest in FP1.

Final practice for the Australian GP gets underway at 4am BST (1pm local time), followed by qualifying at 7am BST (4pm local time).

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Nine of the 10 Q3 contenders are on track - just Alonso sticking in the pits for now.
Stopwatch
Verstappen locks up horribly at Turn 13 but still puts in a 1m18.399s - only to be beaten by Perez by just 0.001s!
Stopwatch
A handful of drivers are doing double warm-up laps so the rest of the Q3 times will flood into this session in the closing moments. Ricciardo has gone third with a 1m19.032s.
Red flag
Alonso is in the wall! Red flag!
Crash
Alonso says over team radio he couldn't shift down the gears going into Turn 11, which meant he couldn't slow down sufficiently, so he was sent into the wall at speed. He is OK but his qualifying is over and he'll start 10th.
Stopwatch
Seconds before the red flag Leclerc moved up to provisional pole with a 1m18.239s. Sainz and Russell were the unlucky pair as they didn't cross the finish line in time and duly lost their laps.
Q3 will restart at 17:25 local time - five minutes away. The fans might need to get out the torches to finish qualifying.
That Alonso lap looked on it before his crash as he was well on for the top four at least. Cruel on the Spaniard.
Lights green
Here we go again - 6m58s to go in Q3.

Both Mercedes out on the track immediately and given they've needed two warm-up laps during qualifying they are maximising the time available.

Perez and Leclerc also out on track now. The rest remain in the pits, targeting a one timed effort all or nothing time attack.
Stopwatch
How close do you like it! Perez goes 0.001s off provisional pole. Wow.
Russell is up to fourth with Hamilton sixth after their timed efforts. The Mercedes drivers are still around 0.8s off the pole time so count them out.
Stopwatch
Verstappen goes provisional pole! A 1m18.154s!
Leclerc is on a quick one though, can he fight back?
Stopwatch
Leclerc can! A 1m17.868s puts him back on pole position!

Disaster for Sainz who can't put a final lap together and will start the Australian GP down in ninth place.

Leclerc is on pole for the Australian GP, with Verstappen lining up alongside him on the front row. Perez takes third place ahead of Norris, Hamilton, Russell and Ricciardo.

Quote

Verstappen on P2: "I haven't felt good in the car all weekend, I don't think there has been one lap I've felt comfortable. We'll try to analyse it. In the race it will stabilise a bit but this weekend it has been all over the place."

Quote

Leclerc on his second pole position of the season: “The lap felt good, even more as it has been a track I’ve struggled at in the past. In Q3 I managed to put everything together so it feels great.”

Perez remains a provisional third place as he still has to face the FIA stewards for not slowing under yellow flags earlier in qualifying.
So a split at the front for the race tomorrow, one Ferrari against two Red Bulls. Sainz had a hectic Q3, having missed his first lap due to the red flag, and then he was late out on his final run due to a starter issue. He's got both McLarens, Mercedes and Ocon to pass to join the fight for the podium tomorrow.
Breaking news
Here's the full Australian GP qualifying report: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-australian-gp-leclerc-claims-pole-in-eventful-melbourne-qualifying/9741071/
The fight at the front almost included Alonso too as he looked on for a top four start before his crash. It was a busy qualifying in the end, finishing over 30 minutes after it was meant to with all the red flags and delays.
Checkered flag
Time to wrap up the live coverage of Australian GP qualifying, but be sure to come back tomorrow for the main event. The race starts at 6am BST (3pm local time) and is set up perfectly. Until then, have a wonderful Saturday and go well!

By: autosport.com

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