Mercedes’ George Russell, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton within the press convention after the Australian Grand Prix 2023 qualifying race.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Max Verstappen took pole position for Red Bull on the Formula One Australian Grand Prix on Saturday after teammate Sergio Perez got here crashing again to earth with a brake failure that left him final on the grid.
Mercedes driver George Russell joins Verstappen on the entrance row for Sunday’s race at Albert Park after qualifying second ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen saved his finest for late, roaring across the lakeside circuit in a single minute and 16.732 seconds, over two-tenths of a second faster than Russell.
“I think the last run was very good,” Verstappen mentioned, celebrating his first pole at Albert Park.
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“It all worked out in Q3.”
Hamilton was thrilled Mercedes had bridged the tempo to Red Bull, who received each the opening races within the Middle East.
Third-placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes attends the press convention after qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on April 01, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia.
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“I’m so happy with this,” he mentioned. “I’m really proud of the team – to be up on the two front rows is a dream for us.
“To be this near Red Bull is unbelievable.”
Perez, who endured a nightmare remaining follow earlier on Saturday, locked up braking into flip three throughout his first out lap within the opening session and beached himself in gravel, bringing his qualifying to a fast finish.
Twice world champion Fernando Alonso will begin fourth on the grid ahead of fifth-placed Carlos Sainz.
Sainz’s Ferrari staff mate Charles Leclerc will line up seventh behind sixth-placed Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.
Alex Albon will probably be eighth on the grid after a optimistic day for Williams, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (ninth) and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Home fan hopes of an enormous race for McLaren’s native boy Oscar Piastri have been dashed as he narrowly missed the minimize into Q2. He will begin sixteenth on the grid.
