The reigning champion Max Verstappen described his first day of training at the Australian Grand Prix as chaotic after a second interrupted session. The Red Bull driver finished second in both sessions, behind Lando Norris of McLaren by 0.018s in FP1 and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by 0.381s in FP2. Verstappen attributed damage to the floor of his RB20 to a track exit at Turn 10 during the first practice, which resulted in his absence at the start of FP2. Despite the setback, Verstappen praised his mechanics for the quick repairs, although it cost him some track time in the second session.
Leclerc’s performance in FP2, especially on fast laps, indicated a fierce battle in qualifying, although it is difficult to compare with Red Bull without knowing the engine settings. Verstappen, who had few laps due to the delay in his start in FP2, acknowledged Ferrari as a team to watch. Although he wished for more laps, he believed the ones he completed were promising. Verstappen expressed confidence in knowing which areas to focus on and adjust, while also recognizing the speed of Ferrari.
Sergio Perez, on the other hand, described his Friday as challenging, finishing eighth in FP2 and trailing Leclerc’s pace by 0.813s. Like his teammate Verstappen, Perez remained optimistic for Saturday, but identified the scarlet red cars of Ferrari as Red Bull’s main competition. He acknowledged the need to work on the car overnight and highlighted the difficulties of the Melbourne circuit in the afternoon due to low visibility caused by the low sun. Perez emphasized the importance of qualifying well and mentioned the high degradation observed during long runs, which will require careful consideration for the weekend strategy. He recognized Ferrari’s strength at this circuit and anticipated an interesting showdown with them.
