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Formula One Australian Grand Prix 2022: Ferrari top timesheets but porpoising a huge issue

An ugly issue with this year’s Formula One cars was front and centre in practice on Friday. And there are signs Mercedes is copping it the worst.

Emily Benammar and Rebecca Williams
20 min read
April 9, 2022 - 11:21AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

An ugly issue with this year’s Formula One cars was on full display on day one in Melbourne and Ferrari seemed to be copping it the worst.

“Porpoising” as it is known – when cars are bouncing at high speed – a phenomenon caused by an increase, then a sudden decrease, of downforce makes for unattractive viewing and has been criticised by experts and former drivers.

“Is that a Ferrari or a space hopper?” asked David Croft while watching the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc during the second practice session.

“Maybe a kangaroo. Skippy Leclerc making his way down the track.

“Ferrari it’s the worst car we’ve seen (for it) but it’s the fastest.

“We’ve seen it on the car of Sainz but not of Leclerc until here.”

The violent bouncing has been subject of complaints for many teams since final testing in Bahrain and doesn’t seem to be easing.

“It’s not going to be comfortable for every lap of a Grand Prix,” said former driver Paul Di Resta. “I’m not convinced teams will fix this quickly.”

Incredibly, despite the porpoising, Ferrari topped the time sheet in both practice sessions.

Sainz the first and Leclerc the second.

Di Resta also pointed out that Ferrari’s porpoising appears worse than Mercedes yet the Italian outfit remain faster indicating that the issues being faced by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell go deeper than first feared.

“It’s going to be a massive task to get back, bigger than they first realised.

“When you look at the Ferrari and Red Bull concept, they’re very different yet they’re clocking similar times.”

IT’S BAD FOR MERCEDES

“We’re porpoising pretty bad, into turn nine it’s worst,” Russell said.

“All the teams are in a similar place.”

Russell finished 11th in FP2 with Hamilton in 13th.

Ferrari have a new diffuser in Melbourne but are yet to decide if they will race it.

“They didn’t bring anything to race one, so you will see different introductions by teams at different times,” Christian Horner said after the sessions.

“Because of the cost cap you have to be strategic about when you bring them in.”

FERRARI THE TEAM TO BEAT

Ferrari looms as the team to beat as the Australian Grand Prix roared back to life at Albert Park after a three-year absence on Friday.

After Melbourne was robbed of seeing the F1 cars in action the past two years due to the pandemic, race fans flocked back to Albert Park as the stars of the show hit the upgraded circuit for the first time.

A record-breaking crowd of 112,466 turned up to welcome F1 back to the city, smashing the previous day-two record of 84,500 to watch Ferrari’s resurgence continue.

The famous Prancing Horse fired the first shot in practice on Friday as Carlos Sainz and championship leader Charles Leclerc topped the opening practice in a result that would have Melbourne’s Lygon Street starting to jump with anticipation ahead of Sunday’s race.

Leclerc then topped the second practice session ahead of Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen and Sainz.

Max Verstappen is confident of challenging the Ferraris around Albert Park.
Max Verstappen is confident of challenging the Ferraris around Albert Park.

Verstappen said he expected Sunday’s race to be another battle at the front between Red Bull and Ferrari.

“We were a tiny bit off Ferrari, but I think that maybe we can make it a little bit closer,” Verstappen said.

“I think during P1 and at the beginning of P2 we were lacking a bit of balance, I think for the final run we changed the car around a little bit, and I felt a lot happier.

“Everything looked stable and quite nice, so I’m happy about that and we certainly made some improvements today.

“In the beginning it was a bit tricky out there, we are in a good position so we just try to build from there and hopefully we can make some tiny adjustments for tomorrow.

Verstappen said he enjoyed the track upgrades made at Albert Park.

“It’s good, the track route was quite nice,” Verstappen said.

“The bumps definitely improved and I think it makes the track nicer, you can attack the corners a bit more now because it’s a bit more smooth.

“I enjoyed my laps today.”

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari during the 2nd session. Photo by Michael Klein
Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari during the 2nd session. Photo by Michael Klein

After a testing start to the year, Australian Daniel Ricciardo was eighth and 10th fastest in the two practice sessions in his first home Grand Prix for McLaren.

Ricciardo said this week he had been dreaming of sharing one of his famous shoeys with his Australian fans, but conceded McLaren could still be some way off a podium breakthrough.

But struggles continued for Mercedes as its seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh and 13th fastest. His teammate George Russell didn’t fare much better and was 12th and 11th in the two sessions.

“It’s just nothing new change on the car makes difference at the moment. That’s the difficult thing, I’m very optimistic, you then make changes and it doesn’t seem to want to improve,” Hamilton said.

“We made some changes going into P2, but P1 was better. P2 ended up being a bit harder for me (than P1).

“I don’t think it’s going to be tricky to find our way back.

“There’s not a lot we can do, this is the way it is, so we are going to have to just drive with it.

“That’s the frustrating thing, when you want to push, trying to catch, even when you do a decent lap it’s 1.2secs down.”

Russell said Mercedes was a long way off the pace at the frontrunners.

“We are not in the position we want to be in,” Russell said.

“There’s quite a few midfield cars ahead of us and we are a long way off the pace at the front.

“We need to work hard tonight, understand the limitations of the car.”

There was drama for four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel after his Aston Martin car broke down late in the first practice session.

He jumped on a scooter to get himself back to pit lane, waving to fans as he rode back, but was then found himself under investigation for entering the track without permission.

Vettel, who missed the first two Grand Prix after contracting Covid, was later ordered to front the stewards to explain the incident.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in action
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in action

But all the talk was about Ferrari’s performance and their speed over the field.

Ferrari, which has not had a world champion since Kimi Raikkonen won in 2007, has made a blistering start to the season with Leclerc and Sainz leading the championship after the first two races.

Leclerc led home a Ferrari one-two in the opening Grand Prix in Bahrain and the pair also finished second and third in Saudi Arabia.

Friday’s practice gave the F1 drives their first taste of the new-look track at Albert Park.

Since the last race was held at Albert Park, the circuit has undergone $20m in upgrades, including pit-lane widening, significant changes to the lay-out and resurfacing of the entire circuit.

Grand Prix officials expect the changes to promote better racing and more overtaking in Sunday’s race.

FP2

1. Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari 1:18.978,

2. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull 1:19.223,

3. Carlos Sainz (ESP) Ferrari 1:19.376,

4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine 1:19.537,

5. Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull 1:19.658,

6. Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine 1:19.842,

7. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:20.055,

8. Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren 1:20.100,

9. Pierre Gasly (FRA) AlphaTauri 1:20.142,

10. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) McLaren 1:20.203,

11. George Russell (GBR) Mercedes 1:20.212,

12. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) AlphaTauri 1:20.424,

13. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:20.521,

14. Lance Stroll (CAN) Aston Martin 1:20.611,

15. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:21.063,

16. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas 1:21.191,

17. Alexander Albon (THA) Williams 1:21.912,

18. Mick Schumacher (GER) Haas 1:21.974,

19. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) Williams 1:22.307,

20. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Aston Martin 0.000

FP1

1. Carlos Sainz (ESP) Ferrari 1:19.806,

2. Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari 1:20.377,

3. Sergio Perez (MEX) Red Bull 1:20.399,

4. Max Verstappen (NED) Red Bull 1:20.626,

5. Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren 1:20.878,

6. Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine 1:21.004,

7. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1:21.027,

8. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) McLaren 1:21.155,

9. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine 1:21.229,

10. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:21.247,

11. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) AlphaTauri 1:21.289,

12. George Russell (GBR) Mercedes 1:21.457,

13. Sebastian Vettel (GER) Aston Martin 1:21.661,

14. Pierre Gasly (FRA) AlphaTauri 1:21.701,

15. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:21.821,

16. Lance Stroll (CAN) Aston Martin 1:21.869,

17. Alexander Albon (THA) Williams 1:22.754,

18. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) Haas 1:23.186,

19. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) Williams 1:23.924,

20. Mick Schumacher (GER) Haas 1:24.349afp

4:49PM RED FLAG

Debris on the track.

Stroll on the radio: “Something just flew off the front”.

He’s not wrong it’s a wheel brow.

Won’t be a long pause. Nine minutes to run.

4:40PM (MORE) TROUBLE FOR VETTEL

Aston Martin update and Vettel’s car is still being worked on.

“It’s not looking like you’re going to get anything out in the next 10 minutes,” according to ted Kravitz.

And he has to go and see the stewards after this, the investigation continues re the scooter.

1-5: Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Alonso, Perez.

UPDATE

BLING BAN AND CHEEKY DIGS

Formula One drivers have been reminded that they are not allowed to wear jewellery while racing, prompting Lewis Hamilton to joke he had piercings he can’t take out.

The ruling was included in the event notes for this week’s Australian Grand Prix issued by new FIA race director Niels Wittich, who is in the role at Albert Park following the sacking of Michael Masi.

It is not a new regulation, but reportedly follows some drivers being spotted wearing jewellery while in their cars.

“The wearing of jewellery in the form of body piercing or metal neck chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start,” the ruling states.

A number of drivers wear jewellery in the paddock, which is allowed, notably seven-time world champion Hamilton.

“I’ve got several piercings that I really can’t take out, that not a lot of people know of,” the Briton joked when asked about the ruling.

“But that’s been the rule forever so nothing new,” he added.

Hamilton also said to Max Verstappen: “I know you have a nipple piercing, man!”, to which Verstappen joked: “You want to see it again?”.

The ban was introduced in 2005 as a safety precaution to reduce the risk drivers face when they need to escape from a car following a crash.

FIA told Sky Sports: “In no way was this punitive towards Hamilton.”

4:30PM FERRARI IN CONTROL

Sainz fastest at the midway point 1:19.376 with Leclerc behind +. 222

From nowhere Alonso is third, Norris fourth and Gasly fifth.

Vettel in the pits.

4:10PM SANCTIONS COMING IN

A reprimand for impeding in FP1 for Carlos Sainz.

Stroll and Sainz impeded, Stroll and Hamilton impeded also being investigated.

Busy day for the directors. Taking a hard line post Bahrain.

Verstappen frustrated on the radio “I can’t f*****g turn the car”.

Red Bull are struggling a little more than expected this weekend.

And it’s not going so well for Hamilton either.

WILL VETTEL COP A SANCTION

Sebastian Vettel is under investigation following the first practice session at the Australian Grand Prix.

The four-time champion was forced to stop after reporting a loss of power.

“I have an engine issue, I have got nothing it’s gone,” he said over the radio.

It triggered a second red flag for the session but it was what came after that seems to have caught the eyes of stewards.

Vettel switched to fireman mode taking a fire extinguisher to his own car before hopping on a scooter and doing a lap of the track, waving at fans and having a great time.

He momentarily took both hands off the handlebars.

But it’s landed him in hot water with the stewards launching an investigation ”for entering the track without permission”.

Fun police on shift at Albert Park it seems but Vettel is at risk of race sanctions.

The team will change the German’s power unit ahead of FP2 which will not incur a penalty.

Vettel is not the only driver under investigation with Carlos Sainz and Zhou Guanyu also being flagged when the former looked to have impeded the Sauber.

Vettel does a lap on his scooter
Vettel does a lap on his scooter

3PM FINAL ORDER FP1

Carlos Sainz ruthlessly outpaced Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and world champion Max Verstappen to clock the fastest time in opening practice at the Australian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard powered round a revamped Albert Park circuit under clear skies with a best time of one minute 19.806 seconds among his 24 laps, largely on soft tyres.

Early championship leader Leclerc, who won the season-opening race in Bahrain, was half a second slower on 1:20.377, fractionally ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. Verstappen was fourth, 0.82secs off Sainz.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh as his slow start to the season with Mercedes continued, more than a second behind Sainz.

Haas driver Mick Schumacher, who had a spectacular crash in Jeddah, was slowest, while four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s return to action after missing Bahrain and Saudi Arabia with Covid went badly wrong.

After setting some respectable times, the German jumped out of his Aston Martin with 14 minutes left as smoke billowed from the back.

“Forget it, it’s gone,” he said on the radio as the red flags came out and he grabbed a fire extinguisher to deal with the problem.

Sainz, who was second in Bahrain and third in Saudi Arabia, demonstrated speed and control on the parkland circuit, which has seen significant changes this year to make it faster, with more overtaking opportunities.

Valtteri Bottas in an Alfa Romeo was first out and set the maiden lap time of the new-look Melbourne circuit, clocking 1:26.761.

But Verstappen soon powered clear with a 1:21.625 ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris — who finished fifth-fastest — and Leclerc.

There was some early aggro with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll on the team radio complaining “Hamilton impeded me”, with replays showing the British driver moving slowly on the racing line.

The practice was briefly stopped when some bodywork flew off Perez’s car, soon after Verstappen clocked 1:20.909 to improve his advantage.

Verstappen was still leading at the halfway mark before Leclerc pipped him, then Sainz put in two scintillating laps.

It was an eventful practice with Fernando Alonso spinning his Alpine, and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Leclerc both hitting the gravel before disaster struck Vettel.

Sainz

Leclerc

Pérez

Verstappen

Norris

Ocon

Hamilton

Ricciardo

Bottas

Tsunoda

Russell

Vettel

Gasly

Alonso

Zhou

Stroll

Albon

Magnussen

Latifi

Mick Schumacher

1:58PM FERRARIS ON TOP

Sainz and Leclerc top the charts 1:19.806 + .571 respectively and both on the softs

It’s then:

Verstappen

Norris

Ocon

Hamilton

Perez

Ricciardo

Bottas

1:45PM F1 DRIVERS SLAM AUS GP AS ‘PAINFUL FOR EVERYONE’

Formula One stars Sergio Perez and George Russell have suggested Australia’s current position on the F1 calendar is unviable with the Red Bull driver saying it was “painful for everybody” to travel so far for a single race.

After the Covid pandemic forced the cancellation of the Albert Park Grand Prix the past two years, Australia has lost its traditional position as the F1 season-opener and is the third race on the calendar this year.

In its place, the season opener in 2021 and 2022 was held in Bahrain, which hosts the second and final pre-season test.

“As the season is getting longer and longer, we need to get a better balance.” Perez said

“It works well at the moment because we are doing the winter testing in Bahrain, it makes sense to stay there,” Perez said.

“But it really has to be back-to-back with one of those races because just coming to Australia for a single race is quite painful for everyone.”

Ferrari star Carlos Sainz said it was a shame Melbourne no longer opened the season.

“(It’s a) bit of a shame it is not the number one race,” Sainz said.

“It gives you that extra vibe to come all the way here, it’s such a long trip.”

1:32PM MELBOURNE’S NEW CULT HERO

Guenther Steiner had crowds chanting his name on Thursday – he’s become a fan favourite thanks to Drive to Survive.

He just spoke about how things are at Haas.

“It’s good for Formula One in general but it’s great for us. We were fighting with Fernando who goes first, we have big fans here it was great. I think for the whole team the results have been great it’s been two really tough years.

“The plan has worked out, 12 months with performances like last year they’re long 12 months, we just have to keep it up now. When I told Mick when Keving was coming he was happy. He has someone to lean on now.

“Mick knows he is a little bit behind but he takes it really good. We need a bit of time for him to get used to a very good teammate, Kevin has done very well being out for 14 months. Kevin is not perfect (health wise) but he is OK.”

Ferrari go fastest 1:20.825 for Leclerc on softs

Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner
Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner

1:20PM RED FLAGGED

FP1 suspended temporarily, Ocon radio-ing in there is debris on the track which looks to be a front wing off a Red Bull. Marshals unable to get to it so we pause.

Verstappen currently fastest 1:20.909 (softs)

Norris and Leclerc behind the Red Bull.

1:15PM TIMINGS EARLY
Vettel on the softs 1:21.625 clocks the fastest, Leclerc and Ocon behind him and they’re followed by the two McLarens.

Six minutes into the session and Lance Stroll is having a crack on the radio accusing Lewis Hamilton of impeding him on track. Didn’t take long for the theatrics.

Five cars yet to get on track.

1PM PRACTICE SESSION IS UNDERWAY

Formula One is officially BACK in Melbourne. Cars are on track and we’re about to get our first impressions of the new track. Guaranteeing faster lap times it’s fair to say Michael Schumacher’s long standing lap record will be obliterated this weekend by up to five seconds.

A big focus point this weekend will be DRS, described by some as “a necessary evil”. It’s allowing drivers to play cat and mouse on track but you know what, it makes for more intelligent driving. In the ever boring debate of man vs machine, DRS and the strategy changes it brings means drivers have to think more, this sport is becoming more strategic. I love it.

12:46PM MAKE MELBOURNE SEASON ENDER?

Russell said Melbourne worked as the season-opener but having it in between races made the amount of travel and the time that was needed to adjust to the time zone difference “too tough” on all the Europe-based teams.

If Australia was not going to be the season opener, Russell said the Grand Prix needed to be a double-header with another race in the Middle East or Asia.

“I think Melbourne here as the season-opener was really cool because everybody came up here early and there was a lot of excitement and anticipation,” Russell said.

“But I think having Melbourne in between races, especially as a stand-alone is too tough for the teams and everybody.

“People came out on Saturdays and Sundays to get acclimatised to the conditions, to the time zone change and it is just too much.

“I think it needs to be thought about more. There is no reason we couldn’t do a back-to-back with one of the Middle Eastern races. But it feels like another double-header for all the teams with the amount of time they spend in this part of the world.

Asked if the Australian Grand Prix should end the season instead, Russell said he was happy for Melbourne to be at any position on the calendar, but more thought needed to be given to placing it geographically alongside other races.

“If it is geographically correct …. we are happy for it to be at any point of the season. We obviously race very far east with Japan and Singapore, China obviously, not this year, but it is on the calendar from next year onwards,” Russell said.

“I just think there is a better compromise to be had. I know there is a huge amount of limitations involved.

“We need to come to Australia, we need to come to this part of the world, but as we said as a stand-alone it is just too much for everybody.”

Perez said ending the season in Australia could be an option “if it makes sense” but its current position needed to be looked at.

“We all want to come here, but there is ways we can improve and in fairness to F1 Australia hasn’t been on the calendar for the last (two) years,” Perez said.

“I’m sure that going forward they can have a look at it.”

Lewis Hamilton often sports jewellery
Lewis Hamilton often sports jewellery

The FIA has highlighted a bizarre rule ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in what many believe is a thinly veiled swipe at Lewis Hamilton.

Race director Niels Wittich went public to remind drivers they are not to wear jewellery while in their cars or during track sessions as stated in Article 5 of the third chapter of Appendix L from the FIA’s International Sporting Code.

“The wearing of jewellery in the form of body piercing or metal neck chains is prohibited during the competition and may therefore be checked before the start,” the rule states.

While many drivers sport bracelets and necklaces, Hamilton is the only one sporting nose and ear piercings.

It has been part of the sporting regulations since 2005.

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NOD TO SCHUMACHER’S LEGACY

Mick Schumacher’s legendary father Michael holds the lap record at Albert Park and he fondly remembers travelling to Melbourne as a child to watch his dad in action.

Now a Formula One driver himself, the 23-year-old will follow in his footsteps when he races at the Australian Grand Prix for the first time this weekend.

“I’m quite excited, I’m looking forward to getting to know the track and getting to know the city as well,” said the Haas driver.

“I’ve been here with my dad and have watched him race in Melbourne, that was really cool, and I’m excited to drive here myself and make my own experiences of driving in Formula 1 in Australia.” Schumacher is fortunate to be in Melbourne after escaping uninjured from a horror crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

He had to be lifted out of his wrecked car after clipping a kerb at high speed and airlifted to hospital for precautionary tests, before being ruled out of the race.

The Swiss-born German said afterwards he was “feeling all right” and his attention is now fully on conquering Albert Park, just like his seven-time world champion father did with four victories in his Ferrari in the early 2000s.

During that dominant run, he set a blistering lap record of 1:24.125 in 2004 which still stands today. It will likely not survive the weekend, with significant changes to the circuit set to shave lap times by as much as five seconds.

“My dad holds the lap record in a 2004 Ferrari. I got the chance to drive that car and it’s an amazing car,” said Schumacher.

“We’ll make our own laps in a similar-looking car, actually. The cars have turned back in time and they’re looking a bit more like they used to with the high front wing, so it will be interesting.”

MERCEDES HAVE NO MAGIC FIX

Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of winning a third Australian Grand Prix were handed a reality check by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who warned there was “no magic fix” to the problems plaguing his car.

The once-dominant Silver Arrows have fallen well short of Red Bull and Ferrari in the opening two races of the season following a series of design changes to comply with new regulations for the 2022 season.

A key problem has been porpoising — bouncing at high speed — and Mercedes have been working round the clock to remedy the issue at their British base since the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix two weeks ago.

But while Mercedes, who have won the last eight constructors’ world championships, are tipped to introduce a new rear wing in Melbourne, Wolff warned they still had a lot to do.

“We are in a learning race and the first two weekends have shown we still have plenty to learn,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes

“At the moment, our track performance is not meeting our own expectations, but everyone at Brackley and Brixworth is focused on understanding the problems and finding the right solutions.

“There won’t be a magic fix for the next race weekend, but we’re pushing to steadily bring gains over the upcoming races, to hopefully move us closer to the front of the pack.

“Until then, we need to maximise each opportunity and make the most of the package we have.” At the opener in Bahrain, seven-time world champion Hamilton finished third behind the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, but only after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez retired in the closing stages. Hamilton’s teammate George Russell was fourth.

In Saudi Arabia, Hamilton managed only 10th, while Russell fared a little better in fifth, but still considerably off the pace of the Ferraris and Red Bulls who filled the top four.

Despite the frustrations, Wolff praised his drivers’ patience. “There are various challenges ahead of us, but that’s something we relish and is when a team really shows its true spirit,” he said.

“Lewis and George are making an important contribution to the overall effort, providing feedback, spending time in the simulator and working together to help push us forward.” The early-season problems have left Mercedes trailing Ferrari by 40 points in the constructors’ championship after two grands prix, with Hamilton in fifth place in the drivers’ standings, 29 adrift of leader Leclerc.

Hamilton has claimed pole position eight times in Melbourne, including the last six. He won in 2008 and 2015.

Mick Schumacher has opened up on his high-speed crash in Saudi Arabia, declaring he has no after effects from the frightening smash as he prepares for his first race in Australia.

The son of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher avoided injury after his car was wrecked in the qualifying smash at the second Grand Prix of the season.

Schumacher was airlifted to hospital for precautionary checks after the 270kmph crash and did not take part in the race.

The Haas driver lost control after his car clipped a kerb, spun and then smashed into the barrier sideways.

The wrecked car of Mick Schumacher after his crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images
The wrecked car of Mick Schumacher after his crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Ahead of his first Australian Formula One Grand Prix, Schumacher, 23, said he could have raced in Saudi Arabia but the decision was made not to in order to preserve the car for Melbourne.

“There were no after effects still, so I was ready to race (in Saudi Arabia),” Schumacher said.

“But we did it for specific reasons and (I’m) happy to be here now.

“I was quite annoyed that I couldn’t race.”

Asked how easy it will be to erase the crash from his mind as he prepares to go racing again, Schumacher said drivers had to push the limit to progress through qualifying.

But he suggested some aspects of the circuit might need to be reviewed.

“Obviously you try your best not to crash but you also want to go as quick as you can,” Schumacher said.

“On that lap we were on a good lap, it was the final run of Q2 and to be able to get into Q3 you had to try something and we did.

“I did get onto that kerb and the kerb was just high for this year’s car …. so I guess that is something that we will have to review.

“The fundamental problem is quite clear. I think there were other teams or other drivers that had similar issues.

“So it is something that we will have to address, it’s something that we will probably have a look at.

“But there is always the risk when you are trying hard.”

This weekend’s Grand Prix will be Schumacher’s first in Australia where his father was a four-time Australian Grand Prix winner.

“It’s great to be back. The last time I visited Australia was at the beginning of 2019 and to be able to come here now and race …. back then I was just dreaming of it and now it is reality,” Schumacher said.

“I’m happy to have been able to spend some time around here and I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

Schumacher finished 11th in the opening Grand Prix in Bahrain while his teammate Kevin Magnussen has finished in the points in the first two races.

He said his expectations were “high” to secure his first points for the year.

“We always want to score points and we were close in Bahrain and that was after contact,” Schumacher said.

“So I think that the expectations are high of being in the points this weekend and I am sure we will get there.”

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