The brand new F1 season is here, and it starts with the traditional Australian Grand Prix at the iconic Albert Park on Sunday.
After losing to Red Bull last season, McLaren will look to put pressure on them from the opening race. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made it a McLaren one-two in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton, who will be making his debut for Ferrari, finished eighth in qualifying.
Max Verstappen, who ended up 0.385 seconds off the pace, will start in third.
Mercedes driver George Russell starts in fourth, and it promises to be a cracking raceday in Australia.
Australian Grand Prix: Where to watch
Venue: Albert Park, Melbourne
Date: Sunday, 16 March
Race start: 04:00 GMT
Commentary: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 03:30.
Live stream: Watch all F1 actions live here.
Qualifying results: Top 10
Here’s how it stands:
1) Lando Norris, McLaren
2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls
6) Alex Albon, Williams
7) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
8) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
9) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
10) Carlos Sainz, Williams
What the drivers said after qualifying
McLaren star Norris described it as “perfect”, but he thinks it would be a tricky test.
He said to Sky Sports: “It’s a perfect way to start the year. But it’s just qualifying. Let’s wait and see tomorrow. It will be a tricky race but today was a perfect way to start.
“The car is extremely quick and when you put it together it’s unbelievable, but it’s just difficult to put it together.
Meanwhile, Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, had to use an extra set of soft tyres after a disappointing Q1.
Hamilton said: “I had a really good time out there today. Everything has been a first this weekend. My first practice sessions with Ferrari, my first qualifying.
“It’s been a lot of work to really adapt, this car is so much different here to what I’ve experienced in the past. But it’s been interesting.”
Australian Grand Prix: Three things to watch out for
How fast are the McLaren?
Everyone expects McLaren to have faster cars this season after seeing them in testing, as we got just a glimpse of them in qualifying. But pre-season testing is just…well, pre-season testing. It needs more than faster cars to win the season, and whether they can show mental toughness remains to be seen.
It would be crazy to rule out Verstappen
The Red Bull believe that McLaren holds the advantage, but testing at the Bahrain International Circuit isn’t a reliable indicator, as we have seen time and time again.
Verstappen is just an unbelievable driver, and he gets better in wet conditions. Moreover, Albert Park has a street circuit nature, and it is difficult to predict the outcome beforehand.
All eyes on Hamilton
The legendary driver says he can’t wait to start this new adventure. His driving ability is phenomenal, but how quickly he adopts the new car (in his own admission, there is a huge amount of work left to be done) will define Ferrari’s season.
Prediction:
Lando Norris will win the Australian Grand Prix.
