F1 Australian Grand Prix final practice and qualifying: Ferrari on pole but team looks divided
Ferrari might have a car in pole position but it seems cracks are emerging with whispers of preferential treatment doing the rounds.
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Charles Leclerc is on pole for the Australian Grand Prix after a chaotic qualifying session in Melbourne but his teammate has slammed the team’s performance as a disaster.
The Ferrari driver claimed his second pole of the season ahead of the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in second and third respectively.
“It’s great to get pole on a track I have struggled on previously,” Leclerc said afterwards.
“The car is nice to drive but the Red Bull is very quick too. I managed to put it together and I’m happy.
FOLLOW THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX LIVE HERE
“I struggle with my driving side on some corners and I have worked a lot on that.”
His teammate Carlos Sainz was less impressed with the red car’s performance finishing ninth and 1.5 seconds off the pace in a surprising and somewhat shocking result.
“Until I go to sleep I will be angry,” he said.
“Even if people tell me to be happy I am angry. I need a good night’s sleep.
“I couldn’t prepare the tyre. I had to do the lap with freezing tyres and it was a terrible lap. Ferrari shouldn’t have these problems. It was just a disaster.”
Sainz blamed the team’s failure to warm his tyres enough before he began his final outlap prompting F1 experts to debate the dreaded No 1 vs No 2 driver debate and whether there is preferential treatment at Ferrari.
While the team has never explicitly said Leclerc is their No 1, it has been an unspoken truth around the paddock.
“At some stage Ferrari will have to switch to a No 1 status in their drivers and it’s hard,” former F1 driver Paul Di Resta said on Sky F1 afterwards.
“Carlos will see his teammate on top and that’s hard to take as a driver.
“When you’re given a chance, he knew this was about next generation, it’s hard to accept because you don’t often get these chances.
“It’s easy for Ferrari to say ‘that’s the chosen one’. Then you lose the fight. It’s a tough decision.”
Asked to explain what happened to Sainz’s car, Ferrari race director Laurent Mekies said: “We had a delay, we had plans to do a prep lap but we had no time.
“Carlos was told to go straight to the lap. It is easy to lose momentum there and that had consequences for Carlos. The speed was there for Carlos so I am sure he will right back.”
RICCIARDO RIDING HIGH
Elsewhere, it was a terrific day for McLaren with Lando Norris completing the second row and Daniel Ricciardo in seventh for his home race - his best qualifying result since Mexico 2021.
“I think generally (we’re) satisfied, it’s the first Q3 of the year from that point of view (we’re) happy yes,” Ricciardo said afterwards.
“It could have been a little better but happy with how it’s been so far. I feel I’m not still trying to catch up from testing.
“There’s still a bit I can exploit. I do feel at one with the car for the most part.
“I hope so (when asked if he is confident on race pace) but the car feels alright. There’s a few quicker ones (around us on grid) but Mercedes aren’t their usual self.
“We will be alright tomorrow, I’m quietly confident. We’re making some good progress.”
Mercedes will be encouraged by fifth and sixth for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Verstappen, was less enthused by the afternoon.
“For me this weekend so far has been all over the place, I’m happy to be second, but as a team we want more,” he said.
TERRIBLE DRIVING CAUSES HORROR SMASH
Qualifying session three was halted after a massive crash involving two drivers.
Nicholas Latifi of Williams and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin collided in the first session with the latter having only just got back on track.
“F*****g Latifi man he’s just hit me what the f*** is he doing”
Lance Stroll is furious and the session is red flagged.
Huge mistake for both teams.
“The f*****g car is destroyed,” says Latifi on the radio.
Both drivers blamed the other but it appears Stroll will cop the sanction.
Asked for his thoughts on the incident, the Aston Martin driver said: “We were on a cool lap, I saw the video he went to try and pass me all of a sudden in an awkward part of the circuit.
“It falls off to the right then left and I think what happened is it was awkward. He was trying to come by me and it becomes narrow and we made contact.
“I was watching for the cars behind me.”
“Thats a very low standard of driving by both drivers,” Mark Webber said of the incident.
Stroll was called to the stewards office immediately after the session.
Q2 went off without a hitch but Q3 saw Fernando Alonso slam into the wall at turn 11.
“The hydraulics, I couldn’t get it into the gear,” the veteran said.
5:15PM RED FLAG
Alonso has temporarily halted the session.
Seven minutes remain and for now it’s Leclerc on privisional pole with Perez and Verstappen behind. Ricciardo in fourth.
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 9, 2022
Alonso loses the car at Turn 11 and he hits the wall 😫#AusGP#F1pic.twitter.com/wmxlJvOTuz
5:05PM McLAREN ARE ALIVE
Martin Brundle has renewed faith. For the first time this season both McLarens are into Q3.
Verstappen struggling with the sun and his visor, Ferrari hopping around like kangaroos on acid and Hamilton hoping for a miracle. He’s had 8 poles in Melbourne.
OUT IN Q2
GASLY
BOTTAS
TSUNODA
ZHOU
SCHUMACHER
Q2 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 9, 2022
The fight for pole is coming up next! Here's who was on top in Q2, and who went out... 👇#AusGP#F1pic.twitter.com/m0Lwziq0YF
OUT IN Q14:45PM
ALBON
MAGNUSSEN
VETTEL
LATIFI - crashed
STROLL - crashed
FASTEST
1-3 Verstappen, Perez, Sainz
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 9, 2022
Latifi and Stroll collide in the first sector and both are out of qualifying#AusGP#F1pic.twitter.com/lhb5OHUKM7
A newly designed Australian Grand Prix track has been hailed and slammed on its debut weekend with organisers forced to make a last second change owing to safety fears.
Originally set out with four DRS zones, it has now been reduced to three for Sunday’s race blowing the field wide open for more teams to have a crack at the podium.
The change will not suit the likes of Red Bull but for Alpine and McLaren it is welcome news.
And it turns out the most vocal driver pushing for change was Fernando Alonso.
It’s a stroke of genius from the F1 veteran who has significantly improved his team’s hopes.
Melbourne’s $20m facelift was designed with a view to increase overtaking and improve racing with many calling the Sunday session boring.
Daniel Ricciardo had a hand in the design.
“I don’t want to take credit, but we wanted to make overtaking better,” the Aussie said.
“The style of the circuit made Sunday tricky, there weren’t wide apexes so we wanted to open some of them up.
“We also wanted to create more slipstream effect. Really it was to make better racing.”
4PM WILL ASTON MARTIN DRIVE?
It looks like Lance Stroll will make it for qualifying but not Sebastian Vettel which is a shame but kudos to those engineers who got one car back on track in under two hours.
Impressive given how badly they slammed those walls.
WHAT HAPPENED IN FP3?
Sebastian Vettel has spent more time on a scooter than his F1 car this weekend after smashing into the barriers.
Having endured a nightmare on Friday which culminated in a $7000 fine because of a rogue scooter joyride, the four-time champion smashed into the wall at turn 12 just 20 minutes into FP3.
“Sorry guys, I’m so sorry,” Vettel said over the radio.
It leaves his Aston Martin team with an enormous task ahead of qualifying made worse by the fact his teammate Lance Stroll also found himself in the wall of turn 6 with a few minutes left in the session.
3:40PM ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL RACE OFF THE CALENDAR
The Russian GP has been scrapped from the 2022 calendar as a sanction imposed as a result of the war on Ukraine.
There was talk that it would be replaced - somewhat bizarrely - by Qatar.
That idea now seems to be off the table and instead we’re looking at a double header in Singapore.
Here’s Martin Brundle’s take.
“Qatar as the replacement for Russian - there’s talk it won’t happen because of the heat,” he said on Sky F1.
“Obvious stand-in would be Istanbul or Kuala Lumpur but we’re hearing a double header in Singapore.”
3:35PM IMPACT OF DRS MOVE
Well explained by Adam Cooper who adds that the big winners are Alpine and Fernando Alonso was one of the most vocal about it in Friday’s driver meeting.
1. The removal of one DRS zone just 20 minutes before FP3 has caused some controversy, with some teams either benefiting or losing out. Those with a big porpoising issue and/or a more efficient DRS have lost, others have gained, so pecking order shaken up...
— Adam Cooper (@adamcooperF1) April 9, 2022
3:25PM WHAT DRIVERS THINK OF THE NEW TRACK
Alex Albon of Williams has taken us around the new look track with a big focus on turn 6 where the speed is out-bloody-rageous.
So what does he think of the track?
“It’s ok, if anything it (turn 1) makes turn 2 a proper corner, you need cojones to get that one. “To be honest turn 3 the braking is at 100m more or less so there will be overtaking.
“In previous years turn one has been hard to follow. Turn 6 is significantly faster there will be overtakes done on the straights not on the brakes. 9/10 it’s tricky the braking distance is hard, the corner are hard to follow, at 11 they have done a good job.
“We need to be braking to do these over takes, start of the lap it isn’t going to help except turn 3, it’s yet to be decided.”
3PM THE UNDERPANTS DEBATE
An underwear furore has erupted at the Aus Grand Prix with drivers warned to be compliant. Oscar Piastri lifted the lid on going commando while Mark Webber made a bold claim.
Commando has become an unlikely buzz word.
Days after the FIA sent a public reminder about drivers and jewellery, it seems their smalls are now under investigation.
Australia’s F1 superstar in waiting Oscasr Piastri said the topic had been discussed in depth at the Friday driver’s meeting. But he refused to name and shame.
“I’m ok but I’m not driving,” he said. “but I think a few people will have to change their underwear protocols.
“It’s the drivers wearing non fireproof underwear under their fireproof underwear.
“So you’re also going commando if you’re doing that so it was a lighthearted conversation but obviously about safety issues.
“We spoke about underwear longer than DRS to be honest.
READ THE FULL STORY AND WEBBER’S CLAIM HERE
1:59PM MCLAREN COMEBACK
OK Riccardo fans let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Lando Norris has topped the timesheets yes, McLaren have more to be happy about right now than they have all season, yes. Ricciardo was 6th fastest and will be happy, yes.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. (pictures Dan on podium)
1. Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren 1:19.117,
2. Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari 1:19.249,
3. Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull 1:19.265,
4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine 1:19.275,
5. Carlos Sainz (ESP) Ferrari 1:19.419,
6. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) McLaren 1:19.693,
7. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull 1:19.809,
8. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:19.896,
9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:20.008,
10. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) AlphaTauri 1:20.071,
11. George Russell (GBR) Mercedes 1:20.096,
12. Pierre Gasly (FRA) AlphaTauri 1:20.133,
13. Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine 1:20.205,
14. Mick Schumacher (GER) Haas 1:20.692,
15. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:20.836,
16. Alexander Albon (THA) Williams 1:20.958,
17. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas 1:21.025,
18. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) Williams 1:21.050,
19. Lance Stroll (CAN) Aston Martin 1:21.636,
20. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Aston Martin 0.00
1:58PM SESSION ENDED EARLY
Blame the Aston Martins for this. Session is ended with a few minutes left on the clock after Lance Stroll crashed into the wall at turn 6 leaving the engineers with a mountain to climb if they want to feature in qualifying at 4pm.
🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 9, 2022
Stroll is into the wall, the session will not be resumed
Driver is out of the car and OK #AusGP#F1pic.twitter.com/tnqS6wljdx
1:47PM
TOP 10 WITH 15 MINS REMAINING
Sainz
Perez
Alonso
Leclerc
Verstappen
Russell
Hamilton
Norris
Bottas
Ricciardo
1:38PM GREEN FLAG
Perez goes fastest but we’re off the pace from yesterday 1:19.720
Alonso in second and Leclerc third with 22 mins to run.
Mercedes enduring a bad session also, both cars called back to the garage where they join the Aston Martins.
1:30PM DRS A DIVISIVE ISSUE
Discussing the change, which was made as a result of the driver meeting on Friday night, Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok said: “They will have spoken at the drivers meeting and made a decision. DRS is divisive.
“They have to adjust the length of the zones and the number, I think this is a good thing but it’s important they are being adaptable. Showing flexibility.”
F1 cult hero Guenther Steiner said the introduction of four zones was “very unusual”.
“The surface is very nice. The change is not a bad thing, potentially more overtaking, the four DRS is very unusual but we need new things or we get bored pretty quick.”
Meanwhile, the Australian Grand Prix’s new look track has suffered a last minute alteration owing to safety concerns with one of the four DRS zones being eliminated.
Having not hosted a race in three years, the track has undergone significant changes since 2019.
Many team bosses and drivers have raised their eyebrows when asked about the prospect of four DRS zones, with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner saying things could get out of control.
“It could end up like a MotoGP race where you’re changing two or three times a lap. If it’s too easy to overtake then that’s not good,” he said.
In a statement released shortly before FP3, F1 bosses said: “For safety reasons, DRS Zones will be reduced to 3 for the remainder of the event. DRS detection 1 will be moved to before Turn 9, DRS activation 1 will be after Turn 10, DRS detection 2 will remain unchanged, with the following activation zones will be renumbered accordingly.”
1:15PM CARS ON TRACK
Apologies I’ve been trying to get my head around the F1 under pants debate which is currently going on. (I’ll bring you more on that soon).
Aston Martin have issues and only have Vettel on track - at least he’s getting some laps.
Alonso fastest after 20 minutes 1:2-.119 - who saw that coming
Sainz and Ricciardo behind
12:55PM F1 CULT HERO WEIGHS IN ON “BORING TRACK”
Haas team boss and F1’s newest cult hero Guenther Steiner has weighed in on a furious debate over the new-look track at the Australian Grand Prix.
Under fire with some experts and hailed by others, Steiner has welcomed the changes saying if they don’t happen “races become boring”.
Having not hosted a race since 2019 due to the pandemic, Albert Park underwent a significant facelift for the first time since 1996.
The track has undergone a full resurfacing, seven corners have been modified and two removed, reducing the number of turns to 14 on what is being billed as an improved, more aggressive track with better overtaking opportunities.
Changes were needed with many describing the race pre-pandemic as boring.
“The changes are pretty good, we have to see how they are,” Steiner said ahead of FP3. “Until the car goes and we get the feedback we don’t know.
“The surface is very nice. The change is not a bad thing, potentially more overtaking, the four DRS is very unusual but we need new things or we get bored pretty quick.”
12:28PM SACKED F1 STAR SLAMS CANCEL CULTURE
Nikita Mazepin has blamed his Haas sacking on “cancel culture against his country”.
The Russian was axed just days before his father Dmitry was sanctioned by the EU after the invasion of Ukraine, amid apparent ties to Vladimir Putin.
Mazepin, 23, struggled during his one year in Formula 1, failing to pick up a single point throughout last year’s campaign.
He was axed by team principal Guenther Steiner ahead of this year’s opener in Bahrain and replaced by Kevin Magnussen.
Speaking to the BBC, Mazepin moaned: “I don’t agree with being in the sanctions.
“I’ve said before I agree to fight it.
“Perhaps now is not the right time.
“If you look at the whole situation that is happening against athletes in the general case, it’s cancel culture against my country.”
Nikita has been described by the EU sanctions list as a “person associated with a leading businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the government of the Russian Federation”.
While his dad Dmitry was called a “member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin”.
While bemoaning his Haas sacking, Mazepin has described the situation in Ukraine as “painful”.
He said: “It’s very painful to watch that on many levels.”
Mazepin’s replacement Magnussen has enjoyed a great start to the F1 season in the improved Haas.
The Dane was absent from initial testing in Barcelona back in February, which came prior to Nikita’s axing.
But he has since taken to his new wheels well - bagging 12 points from his first two races.
12:09PM WHY VERSTAPPEN IS MORE CHILL IN 2022
By Rebecca Williams
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen’s maiden Formula One world championship win last year has released the pressure off the Dutch star in 2022.
The 24-year-old will be in pursuit of his second win of the Formula One season in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix after his victory in Saudi Arabia.
Asked if he had noticed any differences in Verstappen as a world champion this year, in and out of the car, Horner said he was “very relaxed” at the start of his title defence.
Horner said the expectation of claiming a first world championship was a weight that had not been lifted off Verstappen’s shoulders.
“He is very relaxed. He is still racing with the same vitality that he has always had,” Horner said.
“But having that first world championship on his CV now, having that No.1 on the car, in many ways it releases you of pressure.
“That expectation for that first title is always obviously very high but now he has achieved that already.
“We saw it with Sebastian (Vettel, who won four consecutive world titles with Red Bull) and in many respects it relieves pressure and he is just continuing to evolve, continuing to develop.
“You have to remember that he is still only 24 years of age.”
Verstappen claimed his first world championship in a controversial finish to the 2021 F1 season in Abu Dhabi last year.
11:30AM AUS GP TRACK UNDERFIRE
Changes to the Australian Grand Prix F1 track have been met with mixed reviews by current and former drivers.
Having not hosted a race since 2019 due to the pandemic, Albert Park underwent a significant facelift for the first time since 1996.
The track has undergone a full resurfacing, seven corners have been modified and two removed, reducing the number of turns to 14 on what is being billed as an improved, more aggressive track with better overtaking opportunities.
While the changes are expected to see faster laps, records tumble and more overtaking opportunity. Not everyone has welcomed them.
Former driver and Sky pundit Paul Di Resta was particularly unimpressed on the first day of action.
“I’m not convinced on it to be honest,” he said on Sky F1.
“I don't think taking out the corners was the right call. 2022 is very different to 2019, 4 DRS zones is too much I think but I don't want to see an artificial race.
“I just feel some of the corners was necessary to open them up.
“Turn 11 which used to be 13, I don't know why they changed it, leave it as it was. I don’t know how they’re going to get two cars there.”
His colleague Karun Chandhok agreed “I’m not sure why they have made some changes but let’s see what we get,” he said.
11:15AM SUPERCARS UPDATE
By James Phelps
Shane van Gisbergen has extended his championship lead with a hitback win at Albert Park.
In an ominous display of speed from the V8 king, van Gisbergen survived two safety cars to rack up his fifth win of the year.
But it was another dark day for DJR with Anton De Pasquale finishing back in 20th after being forced to double stack and Will Davison beaten to a podium by Dave Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth.
SVG gets it done at Albert Park 🤩
— Supercars (@supercars) April 9, 2022
The championship leader wins Race 7 at the @Beaurepaires Melbourne 400!! #RepcoSC#AusGPpic.twitter.com/Q8nyuAxniZ
11:00 AM PIASTRI FEELING THE LOVE
How good is this. Esteban Ocon, Fernando Alonso and OPscar Piastri with the F1 fans at Albert Park this morning and chantes of Aussie Aussie Aussie for the young F1 star in waiting.
Questions remain over where Piastri may get his first drive. Amid on going covid protocols he may well get the nod this season but his hopes of something more permanent took a hit on Friday after Alonso announced he wanted three more years in the sport.
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!!! 🇦🇺 🇦🇺 🇦🇺 @alo_oficial@OscarPiastri#AusGPpic.twitter.com/DeYoYloNNF
— Esteban Ocon (@OconEsteban) April 9, 2022
11am HAMILTON HAS NO HOPE
A dejected Lewis Hamilton said that nothing being done to his under-performing Mercedes was making a difference after he managed just 13th in second practice for the Australian Grand Prix.
The British seven-time world champion has had a tough time so far this season, with his car alarmingly adrift of pace-setters Red Bull and Ferrari.
The German manufacturer’s problems with porpoising -- bouncing at high speed -- are still an issue and he is frustrated.
“It’s just nothing we change on the car makes a difference at the moment,” he said, after finishing nearly two seconds behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who topped the timesheets.
“So that’s the difficult thing. You’re getting very optimistic, and then you make changes, and then it doesn’t seem to be wanting to improve.
“We made some changes going into P2. P1 was better. P2 ended up being a bit harder for me. So I don’t know, it’s just a tricky car.” Hamilton, who finished third at the season-opening race in Bahrain then 10th in Jeddah, said he was resigned to not being competitive around the revamped Albert Park circuit this weekend.
“It’s frustrating because you’re pushing and pushing, and even when you pull off a good lap, you look at the times and we’re over a second down,” he said.
“We’ve got lots of work to do to close the gap.” His teammate George Russell didn’t fare much better, ending 11th. “We’re not in a position where we want to be, there are quite a few midfield cars ahead of us and we’re obviously a long way off the pace from the front,” he said.
“We need to work hard tonight and understand the limitations.”
DRIVERS FEAR FOR F1 LEGACY
Drivers enthusiastically welcomed on Friday Las Vegas hosting a night-time Formula 1 Grand Prix, but voiced concern that traditional races in Europe could pay the price as the sport expands in new directions.
Racing returns to ‘Sin City’ next year for the first time since 1982, becoming the third Grand Prix in the United States alongside Miami and Austin.
It is part of a concerted effort by the sport’s US bosses to attract a new, younger audience, rather than relying on a traditional, ageing fanbase.
Part of that strategy was allowing Netflix to make the ‘Drive to Survive’ series about the sport and it has proved hugely popular.
Drivers at the Australian Grand Prix were unanimous in looking forward to racing around Vegas’s famous strip, taking in its most famous landmarks, hotels and casinos.
But they also said it was important to remember Formula One’s history and tradition. France, Belgium and even Monaco are all seen as vulnerable races.
“I think that’s going to be awesome, it’ll be good for business … just being there and the spectacle,” said seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of the Vegas move.
Hamilton’s former Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas agreed that it was good to grow the US market, as did fellow veteran Fernando Alonso, but he was more muted.
“It’s the way Formula One is going,” said Spain’s former two-time world champion Alonso.
“On the other hand, I think we need to be careful with the number of races. “We should have a limit because for the teams it is quite demanding, the schedule and the calendar, as it is now, especially as we don’t have so many races in Europe now.” There are currently 22 races scheduled in 2022, nearly half in Europe. Russia has been axed, but a replacement is expected.
– ‘Our heritage’ –
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz said he was “a big fan” of more races in the United States, but is also worried about Europe’s future.
“Obviously a big fan of having to go to Miami and Vegas, but it could be a big loss for those classic European races. Hopefully for the future we can find a compromise,” said the Spaniard.
“Maybe where races that cannot afford to be on the calendar year in, year out can be on the calendar once every two years or three years so we keep coming back to the places where we have always been.
“Business is business … but I wouldn’t like to stop racing in Europe. It’s a great place to go racing, it’s where our heritage is and I think we need to keep coming back even if it’s not every single year.” Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was also keen on Las Vegas but noted that some of the new additions to the Formula One circuit, which he didn’t name, lacked character.
“It’s a great opportunity for the sport but at the same time it would be good to keep our history in the sport, we need those historic tracks to always be with us,” said the Mexican.
“We have to make sure that when we go to new venues to really have some character in the tracks. I feel some of the new tracks lack character.”
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