MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 22: Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on the track during practice before the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit on March 22, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The current Formula 1 world champion did not seem as pleased with his car during the weekend compared to his Ferrari rivals, but made a brilliant move in Q3 to secure his 35th career pole position.
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The last ten drivers lined up in the pitlane for the final battle that would determine the starting order of the top ten for the Australian GP.
Based on the results from Q1 and Q2, Ferrari had the advantage with Sainz and Leclerc slightly ahead of Verstappen in the Red Bull. However, Q3 promised an exciting battle for pole position.
Sainz was the first to start his flying lap, followed by Russell and Leclerc. The McLarens and Verstappen followed suit.
Verstappen secured provisional pole position, with a lead of over two tenths ahead of Sainz and Leclerc, followed by Perez. On the other hand, Alonso had a messy first lap, losing control of his car at turn 6 and therefore not setting a time.
After the completion of the first laps, the order was as follows: Verstappen – Sainz – Leclerc – Perez – Norris – Piastri – Russell – Tsunoda. Alonso and Stroll did not set a time.
With less than four minutes remaining, Stroll ventured out alone on the track to complete his only lap in Q3, with teammate Alonso following closely. Soon, the other drivers began their second and final laps.
The other 15 cars went out on track, each driver fighting to secure a spot among the top ten. Verstappen set the fastest time early on, ahead of Piastri, Sainz, Leclerc, and Norris.
Sainz quickly used a new set of soft tires and climbed to the top of the timing sheets, nearly two tenths ahead of Verstappen. Meanwhile, Leclerc improved to third position and Perez moved up to fifth.
After the first few laps, the order was as follows: Sainz – Verstappen – Leclerc – Piastri – Perez – Norris – Alonso – Russell – Hamilton – Stroll.
With two minutes remaining, the second round of fast laps began and, when it ended, Sainz held onto his position at the top with a time of 1:19.189, 0.115s ahead of Leclerc in second place, while Verstappen settled for third, 0.198s behind the leader.
The first driver to miss out on Q3 was Hamilton, marking a forgettable weekend for the seven-time Formula 1 champion. He fell short of his teammate Russell by 0.059s and will start the race from 11th position.
Hamilton communicated with his engineer over the radio, asking, “Are we safe or not?” Unfortunately, the response was, “Negative, we’ve just been overtaken.”
Alex Albon secured an impressive 12th place in the Williams, finishing 0.173s ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who ended up in 13th.
Kevin Magnussen secured the 14th fastest time, followed by Esteban Ocon in 15th.
The sun was shining through the remaining clouds and temperatures were rising as the start of qualifying was signaled. The track temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius, while the air temperature was at 19 degrees.
The cars lined up at the end of the pitlane, with Albon in the lead. He carried the weight of justifying his team’s decision to give him his teammate’s car after his own was irreparably damaged in an accident, with no spare available.
Albon quickly communicated over the radio, reporting: “There are several leaves on the track.”
Albon’s initial attempt was disqualified for exceeding track limits at turn 10, as the replay showed he took too much kerb.
Verstappen took the lead on his first attempt, but soon complained that his RB20 was suffering from excessive understeer.
Sainz quickly surpassed Verstappen’s time to become the fastest, only to be overtaken by his teammate Leclerc. McLaren’s Norris and Piastri secured fifth and sixth positions respectively after their first lap.
Hamilton soon passed the McLarens, securing fifth place, while Russell had a confusing first attempt, ending up in 15th.
The replay showed Ocon hitting the wall coming out of the final corner, but no visible damage was apparent for Alpine.
Piastri and Norris improved their times on their second quick lap, securing third and first places respectively. Stroll also improved, reaching fifth place, while Perez moved up to second and Alonso took the lead. Verstappen secured the second fastest time behind Alonso.
The Ferraris began their second quick laps, with Sainz taking first position and Leclerc becoming the fastest.
With seven minutes remaining, the order was as follows: Sainz – Leclerc – Alonso – Verstappen – Perez – Piastri – Norris – Stroll – Hamilton – Tsunoda.
Russell, on his second flying lap, reported that his front brakes seemed to be malfunctioning, while several other drivers were attempting another lap. Russell secured tenth place on his second timed lap, pushing Tsunoda out of the top ten.
Gasly was being investigated by the stewards for crossing the white line at the pitlane exit.
With Q1 completed, Sainz led the way into Q2 with a time of 1:16.731, closely followed by Perez, 0.074s behind in second place. Verstappen, who complained of understeer, secured the third fastest time, 0.088s behind.
Leclerc and Alonso were in fourth and first place respectively, while Russell was in sixth place and Albon impressively secured seventh place, ahead of Tsunoda, Piastri, and Stroll, who occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth positions respectively.
Ocon qualified for Q2, securing the 14th fastest time, while Magnussen from Haas was in 15th place.
Nico Hulkenberg was the first to be eliminated from Q2, losing out to his teammate by 0.267s and securing the 16th fastest time in the second Haas.
Pierre Gasly secured the 17th fastest time in the Alpine, while Daniel Ricciardo was in 18th place after his best lap was disqualified for exceeding track limits. Zhou Guanyu secured the 19th fastest time.
The stewards were investigating Albon, Perez, Ocon, Russell, Magnussen, and Zhou for driving too slowly on their out laps.
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Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton secured another victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday. With an impressive performance, Hamilton led the race from start to finish, leaving his competitors behind. This was the fifth consecutive win for the British driver this season.
Hamilton, who currently leads the championship, showed his skill and determination in achieving his sixth victory in Monaco. With this result, he extends his lead in the overall standings and gets closer and closer to the world title.
The race in Monaco was marked by exciting moments and incredible overtakes. Hamilton managed to stay ahead even under pressure from other drivers. His team, Mercedes, also had an exceptional performance, securing second place with Valtteri Bottas.
Hamilton’s fans celebrated his victory on social media, praising his performance and talent. Many believe he is on the right path to becoming one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.
The next race of the championship will be held in Canada, and Hamilton is determined to maintain his winning streak. With his confidence high and a car in great shape, he is considered the favorite for another victory.
Formula 1 fans are eager to see what Hamilton will achieve this season. With his talent and dedication, he has everything to become one of the greatest icons of the sport.
