Australian GP final practice and qualifying

10:39 Here's our comprehensive report from an intriguing first qualifying session of 2017. It may not have thrown up the surprises we might have hoped for, but Ferrari's pace gave the hint that Sunday's race might not be a foregone conclusion just yet.

That's the end of our coverage for today - thanks for joining us, and be sure to check back in tomorrow from 5:45am UK time (don't forget the clocks change!) for full coverage of the Australian Grand Prix.

F1 Australian Grand Prix: Hamilton beats Vettel to pole position

Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for the Australian Grand Prix, after winning a tense qualifying battle with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

10:35

Poleman. Photo: LAT

10:29 "Third position is not ideal, [and] in general I'm not happy about the result," says Bottas. "I didn't quite get any perfect laps in so I'm not that satisfied, but tomorrow is the day that matters - in the race starts we seem quite strong."

10:27 An upbeat Vettel reiterates his belief that he lost a bit of time, but says it probably wouldn't have been enough for pole.

10:26 "It's been a fantastic weekend so far," says Hamilton. "I'm incredibly proud of my team - this rule change has been huge and such a massive challenge for everyone and the guys have worked so hard to make the car what it is today.

"Valtteri did a great job in his first qualifying session for the team. It's quite close - I think it's going to be close this year."

10:24 The top three drivers are in the press conference now.

10:23 Here's some more from Ricciardo on his Q3 crash: "I lost in going into Turn 14. It happened quickly, I could feel rear was starting to come around.

"I tried to catch it but it came around, and as the result of more downforce and more grip, when you lose it it's a lot more violent and aggressive, so it caught me out. I would have loved to be [in the] top five rather than 10th."

10:20

10:18

10:18 The midfield appears to be pretty competitive, so the half-second between Grosjean and ninth-place man Kvyat (the slowest of those to record a time in Q3) seems a relatively large gap.

10:16 And a few other bits to pick out - great showing from Grosjean in sixth for Haas, especially given team-mate Magnussen couldn't make it out of Q1.

10:15 Vettel says he could have got a little more out of the car: "OK guys, I lost a bit in Turn 1 [and] Turn 9 I tried a little bit too hard - anyway, I'm not sure it would have been enough. Great job."

10:15 Here's a full run down of times:

1 Hamilton 1m22.188s
2 Vettel 1m22.456s
3 Bottas 1m22.481s
4 Raikkonen 1m23.033s
5 Verstappen 1m23.485s
6 Grosjean 1m24.074s
7 Massa 1m24.443s
8 Sainz 1m24.487s
9 Kvyat 1m24.512s
10 Ricciardo no time

So, in the end Hamilton had a comfortable enough margin for pole. But Ferrari will surely be happy it managed to split the two Silver Arrows, and has its first front-row start since 2015. Ricciardo failed to set a time after his crash, and will provisionally line up in 10th.

10:09 And that's Q3 done.

10:09 Vettel's lap was 0.268s slower than Hamilton, and just over two-hundredths faster than Bottas.

10:09 And Vettel splits the Mercedes drivers by going second with a 1m22.456s.

10:09 Massa goes seventh, with Sainz and Kvyat slotting in behind him.

10:08 Vettel improves to a 1m23.033s so stays fourth.

10:08 Verstappen takes fifth with a 1m23.485s.

10:07 Hamilton immediately knocks his team-mate off pole position with a 1m22.188s.

10:07 Bottas goes fastest on a 1m22.481s.

10:07 And Bottas claws back a bit of time in sector two, but not enough.

10:06 Bottas goes fastest of all in sector 1, but is then immediately eclipsed by Hamilton.

10:06 Grosjean is back in the pits now after his run.

10:06 Vettel is also heading out too, so we now have all nine remaining cars on track.

10:05 Massa, Kvyat and Sainz have headed out on track.

10:05

Second place so far for Vettel. Photo: LAT

10:05 Grosjean goes fifth on a 1m24.074s.

10:04 Hamilton and Bottas head on. Like everyone else, they are on ultra-softs.

10:03 Perez says he wasn't on a first run when he was held up by Massa in Q2: "I was just on the outlap, saw he was a bit slow and tried to take advantage of it and he closed the door. It probably looks a bit worse on TV than it was."

He adds that he had an engine problem, and "hesitations" shifting up from third gear upwards.

10:02 Grosjean is the first to head out for what should be his sole run of Q3.

10:01 Nobody has yet rushed onto track, with just under seven minutes remaining.

10:00 The session has been restarted.

09:58 On the laps they were on but that were never completed, Verstappen was on target to have gone fourth, although Ricciardo was fractionally behind Raikkonen's time after two sectors, so was on target to go sixth.

09:57 Replays show Ricciardo getting out of shape on the exit of Turn 14, before the car snapped back the other way and went backwards into the barrier on the outside of the track. He's out of the car, the back end of which looks a little second-hand.

09:55 Times:
1 Hamilton, 1m22.496s
2 Vettel, 1m22.796s
3 Bottas, 1m22.798s
4 Raikkonen, 1m23.435s

Ricciardo, Verstappen, Massa, Grosjean, Kvyat and Sainz have yet to set times, with only the Red Bull drivers of those having gone out so far.

09:53 The session has been red flagged.

09:53 "OK, I'm alright. Sorry guys," says Ricciardo.

09:53 Raikkonen slots into fourth.

09:53 Ricciardo has gone off.