The session in Melbourne was chaotic as the 20 Formula 1 drivers familiarized themselves with the Albert Park circuit. Many of them lost control of their cars in various corners, resulting in a series of accidents. Unfortunately, Alex Albon was the unlucky one who crashed, causing the session to be interrupted with a red flag.
Although Albon escaped unharmed, his Williams mechanics now face the daunting task of repairing his severely damaged car, which suffered impacts from both sides.
After a two-week break following the season opener with two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Formula 1 now heads to Australia for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
While another weekend of Red Bull and Verstappen dominance is expected, the sport has not been devoid of drama, mainly off the track. The Christian Horner saga continues to unfold as we prepare for the race in Melbourne. Additionally, the FIA Ethics Committee has cleared President Mohammed Ben Sulayem of charges related to an attempt to manipulate the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The committee also investigated his involvement in obstructing the approval of the Las Vegas track. However, Susie Wolff took matters into her own hands and filed a lawsuit against the FIA in France. The lawsuit is based on the brief FIA investigation into a possible conflict of interest involving a Formula 1 team principal and a Formula 1 One Management employee in December 2023. Christian Horner may find solace in the lawsuit, hoping it temporarily diverts attention from him.
In positive news, Carlos Sainz will return to his Ferrari this weekend after missing the race in Saudi Arabia due to an appendix surgery. However, he made it clear that he will not push himself too hard and will stay at home if he does not feel fully capable. Oliver Bearman is on standby as a reserve option.
Both Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri will be thrilled to compete in their home race, especially Piastri, who is a Melbourne native. While the young McLaren driver may have a better chance to impress the fans, Daniel Ricciardo’s current form and his VCARB may lead to disappointment.
This race presents another opportunity for Red Bull to assert its dominance as the fastest team, with Ferrari close behind. The performance of McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston Martin behind them is yet to be seen.
As for the tire choice, Pirelli has brought the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft) compounds for this weekend’s race. These are softer selections compared to last year’s Australian Grand Prix.
The session started under clear weather conditions, with the track temperature at 31 degrees Celsius and the ambient temperature at 18 degrees.
The drivers wasted no time and soon Russell reported over the radio about vibrations in the steering mechanism and an extended brake pedal. Hamilton also had a similar issue with his brake pedal.
Except for Perez and Leclerc, who opted for soft tires, all other drivers chose to equip their cars with medium tires. It is worth noting that medium and hard tires will be the preferred choice for the next race this weekend.
Around ten minutes into the session, Piastri’s McLaren momentarily lost control at Turn 9 while on a fast lap, but he managed to regain control.
More than ten minutes into the session, Verstappen started his first timed lap on soft tires and secured the fifth fastest time, with Perez leading the group and Leclerc in second place, but soon overtaken by Verstappen.
However, the current F1 champion quickly accelerated and set the fastest time, beating Leclerc by over four tenths of a second.
Therefore, after 15 minutes in the session, the order was as follows: Verstappen – Leclerc – Perez – Piastri – Tsunoda – Norris – Stroll – Magnussen – Ocon – Ricciardo.
It was only at this moment that Alonso started his first timed lap, as a replay revealed the Aston Martin mechanics working on the green car #14 and removing the aerodynamic supports.
After 20 minutes elapsed, Sainz had already completed ten laps and secured the eighth fastest time. Meanwhile, Russell reported that his brakes were working better and set off for a timed lap, achieving the 11th fastest time.
Alonso had a significant moment at Turn 10 and ended up having a bumpy trip through the gravel trap.
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso had a nervous moment coming out of Turn 10!
The driver skillfully maneuvered through the gravel at high speed, narrowly avoiding a collision with the wall.
In the first practice session, there were concerns about brake performance, with Albon in the Williams facing issues. He reported that his car was veering left and right when braking. Norris also had problems halfway through the session, as the bottom of his car hit and he asked the team to check the floor of his car. Hulkenberg had a similar situation earlier with the Haas team.
During the session, several drivers opted to use soft tires. Norris, in particular, set the fastest time, surpassing Verstappen by a tenth of a second. Stroll also used soft tires and achieved the third fastest time.
Meanwhile, Alonso struggled and found himself at the bottom of the time tables. He was stuck in the garage while his team worked on changing the floor of his AMR24 after going off track earlier.
With only 20 minutes remaining, Russell had a scary moment at the chicane of Turns 9/10, but managed to impressively keep control of his car. Bottas also spun in his Sauber at the same spot. Unfortunately, Albon was not as lucky, as he crashed at the exit of Turn 8 after hitting the curb hard. This incident caused a red flag, but fortunately, Albon walked away unharmed.
Williams mechanics faced the daunting task of repairing Albon’s car before the second practice session.
The session resumed with ten minutes left on the clock, and Ocon led the pack on track. Hamilton had a moment of his own at Turn 1, with the rear of his W15 stepping out. Verstappen also had a moment at the Turns 9/10 complex, and Perez had a clumsy lap, losing control of his RB20 on the penultimate lap.
Sainz reported an incident in the pits, where a Haas car rear-ended his Ferrari while waiting to exit the track.
Hamilton encountered another issue going over the kerbs at Turn 10, suspecting he may have damaged the floor of his car. Verstappen expressed the same concern to his engineer.
The first practice session ended with practice starts.
Report in progress…
© 2024
The soccer star Lionel Messi made an incredible play during yesterday’s match. The Argentine player showed all his skill by dribbling past three opponents before scoring a spectacular goal. The crowd went wild with the play and didn’t spare any compliments for the superstar.
Messi, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has been a standout in every match. His ball skills are incomparable and he always surprises fans with his dribbles and goals. It’s no wonder he is considered one of the greatest players of all time.
In addition, Messi has also stood out off the field. The player is known for his philanthropic work and is always involved in social projects. His foundation helps underprivileged children around the world and he is an example of solidarity and generosity.
With so many talents and qualities, it’s no surprise that Messi is an idol for millions of people around the world. His success in soccer is undeniable and he will continue to enchant fans for many years to come. The soccer world is ecstatic with Messi’s talent and can’t wait to see what he will do next.
