Max Verstappen on pole for Australian Grand Prix

SPORTSAREENA.comMarch 26, 2024

7 3 minutes read

A “very satisfied” three-time world champion Max Verstappen clinched a third straight pole of the season on Saturday on the Australian Grand Prix because the flying Dutchman targets a file tenth consecutive win.

Sunday’s race will begin at 06:00 (SA time).

Under hazy skies at Albert Park, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, again within the automobile barely two weeks after appendicitis surgical procedure, got here second in tense qualifying and can hold the Red Bull ace firm on the entrance row.

Sergio Perez within the different Red Bull will begin third alongside Lando Norris, who scored a shock fourth in his McLaren.

“Very happy with that because so far this weekend it has been a bit tough to find a good balance in the car,” mentioned Verstappen, who’s seeking to repeat his feat from final yr when he began first and gained a chaotic race in Melbourne.

“And even all through qualifying in Q1 and Q2 I didn’t actually really feel I might be combating for pole. But then we made some little tickles on the automobile and that appeared to assist me in Q3 to actually push it to the restrict.

“Obviously things can improve, but overall very satisfied with the performance.”

The 26-year-old knocked out his rivals to earn a thirty fifth profession pole with a flying lap of 1 minute 15.915, 0.270 secs forward of Sainz, who missed the final race in Jeddah.

“I don’t feel 100 percent, it’s impossible after spending a lot of days in bed like I did to try and recover,” mentioned the Spaniard after his exceptional comeback.

“But the nice factor is that I’ve no ache, I simply have discomfort and every thing feels a bit bizarre.

“Today, when the adrenaline came out I could close the visor and go for it which is a good thing.”

The 2022 Melbourne winner Charles Leclerc within the second Ferrari was fifth with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri sixth on his house observe.

Mercedes’ George Russell got here seventh forward of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and the Aston Martin pair of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.

But there was disappointment for Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton who missed Q3 and will start from 11th.

Perez got here second to Verstappen within the opening two races and mentioned he had confidence he might match or higher the feat on Sunday.

Faith

“It was very tricky qualifying with the tyres and getting the best out of them,” mentioned the Mexican. “As long as we are able to have good faith we should be able to come through.”

He will want one thing particular to cease Verstappen, who gained the opening two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, each from pole.

The Dutchman is chasing a tenth straight victory to match his personal file set final yr, whereas Red Bull try to attain a 3rd straight 1-2 end for the primary time within the staff’s historical past.

Sainz topped Q2 from Verstappen and Leclerc with Hamilton – an eight-time Australian pole-sitter – a key casualty.

His loss was Tsunoda’s acquire as the one interloper exterior of the massive 5 groups becoming a member of the Q3 ranks.

Haas’ Kevin Magnussen additionally missed out in Q2, together with Valtteri Bottas within the Sauber, Esteban Ocon in his Alpine and Alex Albon within the sole Williams.

Sainz was additionally quickest in Q1 forward of Perez and Verstappen.

Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu got here final with RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly within the different Alpine and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg additionally failing to progress.

Logan Sargeant was absent after his Williams was given to team-mate Albon.

Albon crashed on Saturday and with no spare chassis Williams was left with only one automobile and opted for the Anglo-Thai driver over the American.