2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris tops first Australian GP F1 practice as Alex Albon crashes out.
Lando Norris was the man to beat in first practice for the Australian Grand Prix.
22 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in the opening practice session for the Australian Grand Prix as Williams driver Alex Albon crashed out. Norris headed a tight session with just over three-tenths covering the top 10. The McLaren driver’s 1m18.564s put him top of the order, 0.018s ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Verstappen would have beaten Norris’ lap had it not been for a wide moment at the high-speed Turn 9-10 chicane. The reigning world champion wasn’t the only one to find that chicane difficult with Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell all having moments of their own.

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas had a dramatic 360-degree spin at the same corner, but managed to keep it out of the barrier, only damaging his new soft tyres. Albon was less fortunate as he shunted his Williams at Turn 8 after hitting the kerb awkwardly. His Williams was completely damaged, causing a red flag stoppage for approximately 10 minutes.

‘Lando Norris was the man to beat’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104581...on-crashes-out


Australian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
22 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:18.564
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 18 1:18.582 0.018
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 20 1:18.597 0.033
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 1:18.599 0.035
5 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 26 1:18.621 0.057
6 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:18.642 0.078
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:18.667 0.103
8 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 22 1:18.686 0.122
9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 19 1:18.771 0.207
10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:18.918 0.354

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-...ice-1-results/


How Norris edged messy and red-flagged Australian GP FP1
Mar 22, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alex Albon suffered a heavy crash in a surprisingly dramatic and tight opening Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 practice session that featured several near-misses and was topped by Lando Norris.

ONE TENTH COVERS EIGHT CARS: Following the Albon red flag, FP1 resumed with just under 10 minutes remaining, at which point Norris was fastest with barely a tenth of a second covering the top six. Norris didn’t go quicker, but remained on top as the mistakes persisted. Lewis Hamilton was straight over the grass and gravel at Turn 1 on a flying lap on used softs, picking up a bit of understeer on entry that turned into a quick slide at the apex.

Next to breathe a sigh of relief, back at Turn 10, was Max Verstappen. The world champion had a small bit of instability through Turn 9 but stuck with it then understeered slightly through the right hander, running across the exit kerb and dipping a wheel into grass and even slightly the gravel. His Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez’s efforts to improve late on were thwarted by a big lock-up that sent him deep into the penultimate corner.

‘Messy and red-flagged Australian GP FP1’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...ralian-gp-fp1/


Melbourne FP1: Norris tops eventful session as Albon crashes
22/03/2024 at 02:45
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lando Norris topped an action packed first practice for the Australian GP in Melbourne, the McLaren driver leading an incredibly tight session marked by a red flag triggered by a big crash for Williams’ Alex Albon. Norris edged championship leader Max Verstappen, with Mercedes’ George Russell in third, but mistakes and drivers running wide were the norm in the 60-minute workout.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Rb’s Yuki Tsunoda rounded off the top five, but the spread among the top seven runners was just 0.103s, which boded well for FP2 later today. The F1 field was back to its regular contingent of drivers, with Carlos Sainz reporting for duty after his painful bout of appendicitis a fortnight ago that forced him to miss most of the Saudi Arabian GP weekend.

With less than a minute to go, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda popped up to third behind Norris and Leclerc, but just 0.057s off the McLaren driver’s best, confirming the extremely tight spread. However in the dying seconds, a final shift among the frontrunners saw Verstappen and Russell slot into second and third, pushing Leclerc and Tsunoda down to fourth and fifth.

‘Melbourne FP1’;

https://f1i.com/news/503073-melbourn...n-crashes.html


Max on P2 after first free practice Down Under
22 March 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen has finished the first free practice for the Australian Grand Prix in second. Lando Norris was the fastest man of the session, George Russell put his Mercedes on P3, with Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda rounding out the top five. It was a session on the more difficult side for the drivers, with several trips through the grass and gravel. The practice was also interrupted with a red flag, caused by Alexander Albon losing control of his Williams.

With just eight minutes left, the session is resumed, and the drivers can once again take to the track. Everyone is pushing to exit the pits. Hamilton shoots through the grass but manages to drive on. Max makes a mistake in turn eleven, cutting his lap short. His last attempt secures him second place. Norris is the fastest man of the session. Russell closes the practice in third, with Leclerc and Tsunoda rounding out the top five.

‘First free practice Down Under’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5410/


2024 Australian GP FP1: Alonso avoids the barriers after taking to the gravel in first practice
22 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso was pushing hard in first practice for the Australian Grand Prix and even went over the limit midway through the session when he ran wide at Turn 10 and took a trip through the gravel trap, but managed to keep his car out of the wall.

‘2024 Australian GP FP1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...544020262.html

[Fortitude]

Is Leclerc a real threat? What happened in Australian GP FP2.
Charles Leclerc was the star of a second practice session of the Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 weekend that again featured multiple drivers suffering off-track moments.
Mar 22, 2024
Jack Cozens
The Race

Ferrari driver Leclerc was a notable 0.381 seconds clear of championship leader Max Verstappen on single lap pace, with just over half a second covering the nine cars behind Leclerc in a congested top 10. The session-best time of 1m17.211s only featured a personal best from Leclerc in the final sector, though his previous benchmark time - a 1m17.423s, which would still have been good enough for top spot - included the fastest overall times in the other two sectors.

That was made more impressive considering Verstappen, who sat out the first 20 minutes of the session as Red Bull changed the floor on his RB20 following an off-track excursion exiting the Turn 9/10 Esses, set his best time of the session far later on. But perhaps most encouraging for Leclerc and Ferrari was his long-run pace on the medium tyres used en masse by the frontrunners.

Long run simulations
First five laps, all mediums
Leclerc: 1m23.016s; 1m22.832s; 1m22.990s; 1m23.006s; 1m23.047s*
Sainz: 1m23.210s; 1m23.171s; 1m22.667s; 1m24.992s; 1m23.849s**
Piastri: 1m23.517s; 1m22.810s; 1m22.319s; 1m22.405s; 1m22.751s
Verstappen: 1m23.503s; 1m23.947s; 1m23.068s
Perez: 1m23.122s; 1m22.731s; 1m22.596s; 1m23.200s; 1m24.234s***
Russell: 1m24.173s; 1m23.840s; 1m23.321s; 1m23.707s; 1m23.758s
Stroll: 1m23.431s; 1m23.210s; 1m22.842s; 1m23.133s; 1m23.006s

‘Is Leclerc a real threat?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...tice-2-report/


Australian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
22 March 2024
Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:17.277
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 19 1:17.658 0.381
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:17.707 0.430
4 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 28 1:17.822 0.545
5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 30 1:17.912 0.635
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 22 1:17.951 0.674
7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 28 1:18.077 0.800
8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 32 1:18.090 0.813
9 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:18.155 0.878
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 26 1:18.188 0.911

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-...ice-2-results/


Australian GP: Encouraging signs from Ferrari as Charles Leclerc blitzes competition in FP2
22 Mar 2024 6:04 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After back-to-back Max Verstappen wins, there were encouraging signs from Charles Leclerc in Melbourne as he finished FP2 almost four tenths up on the Red Bull driver. On a day when Red Bull weren’t able to gain a stranglehold on their rivals, it was Leclerc who set the pace by 0.381s ahead of the World Champion with Carlos Sainz third fastest.

Ferrari made it a one-two with 20 minutes remaining as Sainz, putting aside any aches and pains he may be feeling, shot up to second place behind Leclerc. The team-mates were separated by 0.430s, both on the soft tyres. Swapping to the soft tyres, Verstappen moved up to second place but was still 0.381s down on Leclerc’s best time.

Sainz, recovering from an appendectomy, was third ahead of Stroll, Alonso and George Russell. As for Hamilton, who was woefully off the pace, he told Mercedes “something is wrong.” As for F1’s two Aussie drivers, Oscar Piastri was seventh with Daniel Ricciardo P12. Honorary Aussie Bottas was 14th.

‘Encouraging signs from Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austra...024-fp2-report


Hamilton describes ‘one of my worst sessions’ in Australian GP practice as Mercedes admit set-up test ‘massively…
22 Mar 2024, 07:44
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton offered a frank assessment after he placed only 18th on the timesheets during second practice for the Australian Grand Prix, admitting he is “the least confident” he has felt at the wheel of the W15 so far.

Hamilton entered the Melbourne weekend talking up the potential of Mercedes’ latest challenger as the Brackley outfit look to put two challenging seasons behind them and edge closer to world champions Red Bull.
However, after a solid run to ninth in FP1, a series of set-up experiments saw Hamilton tumble down the order in FP2, placing ahead of only Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and the sidelined Williams of Alex Albon.

Reflecting on his day, and particularly that second outing, Hamilton said: “I obviously don’t feel great. We had one of the worst sessions I’ve probably had for a long time. “P1 generally felt quite good; the car actually in P1, run one, felt the best it’s ever felt, then it just got worse and worse. I made some changes, big changes into… well, we made some big changes into P2, and it was tough.”

“The least confident”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...WvQjMEh3BTiCK7


Max Verstappen damages Red Bull as Dutchman finally beaten at Australian GP practice
Max Verstappen did not enjoy the smoothest of starts to his Australian Grand Prix weekend in the Melbourne sun.
06:40, Fri, Mar 22, 2024
Harry Smith

Max Verstappen endured a rocky start to the Australian Grand Prix weekend on Friday, damaging the floor of his Red Bull and failing to top either of the first two practice sessions. During the latter stages of FP1, Verstappen went off his line going through the high-speed turn nine-10 chicane, bottoming out on the kerb as he avoided the gravel trap.

The impact of the bottoming out was damage to the RB20's underbody, and Verstappen's journey off-track ultimately forced the Red Bull crew to change his floor between the end of FP1 and the start of FP2. When Verstappen did return to the race track, there were only 35 minutes left on the clock. This wasn't where the drama ended either as seven minutes later, the Dutchman was impeded by Zhou Guanyu at turn three while on a flying lap.

The green-flag running that Verstappen did get wasn't perfect. The reigning world champion was bested by McLaren star Lando Norris during the first practice session of the day, and he had no answer to Charles Leclerc's pace during FP2. Leclerc ended the session nearly four-tenths to the good on Verstappen on the same medium-compound tyre, sending a warning shot to the Dutchman ahead of qualifying in Melbourne.

‘Max Verstappen damages Red Bull as Dutchman finally beaten’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-Australian-GP


2024 Australian GP FP2: Verstappen frustrated after hitting traffic in second practice
22 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was hindered during FP2 by Zhou Guanyu and then Lance Stroll who were both slow on track while the Dutchman was trying to put together a quick lap.

‘Traffic in second practice’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...413430371.html


Max Verstappen pinpoints Red Bull’s biggest threat after ‘messy’ Australian GP practice
22 Mar 2024 7:07 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has conceded that Ferrari are looking “quick” at the Australian Grand Prix, but warned Red Bull still have more to come after a “messy” day of practice at Albert Park. He told Formula 1: “Unfortunately, a little bit messy because of what happened in FP1.”

“I went wide, damaged the floor and the chassis. It took a little bit longer to fix that unfortunately, I lost about 20 minutes. But I think the turnaround we did as a team was very quick so I more or less still completed the program. With the long run, maybe I would have liked a few more laps but we were missing 20 minutes. That’s how it goes.”

Asked to assess his pace, he said: “I think it was alright. I think Ferrari is quick, but from our side I think there are also a few more things we can fine tune. So nothing crazy, nothing worrying – I think we just need to fine tune the car a little bit.”

‘Fine tune’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...-australian-gp


Albon crash puts Williams at risk of losing car before Australian GP
March 22, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Williams F1 could lose a car in Australia: Due to Alex Albon crashing out in FP2, Williams F1 could have just one car for the remainder of this Australian GP weekend. With just one chassis left this weekend, the British team faces a difficult decision.

Only one chassis left: Considering the Formula 1 budget cap, such errors are extremely costly for teams. Aside from the repair costs that James Vowles and his team must address, there are other logistical issues. With only one chassis remaining, the British outfit faces a difficult decision. First, they will determine if what remains of Alex Albon’s machine can be salvaged. Should a repair prove possible, the team can hope to put together a relatively standard weekend.

Should Williams be forced to field just one driver, it seems logical that Logan Sargeant will be allowed to continue. Still, there have been suggestions that Alex Albon might be given his teammate’s chassis for the remainder of this weekend. This theory is based on the performances of the two drivers, which have been very one-sided over the past year.

‘Losing car’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...australian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Alex Albon takes Logan Sargeant’s Williams for remainder of Australian GP, Vowles blasts team.
“It’s unacceptable in modern day Formula 1 not to have a spare chassis,” Vowles said…
March 22, 2024 - 14:00
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

“Following Alex Albon’s accident during FP1 at the Australian Grand Prix, Williams Racing confirms that due to the extensive damage sustained, it is forced to withdraw the chassis for the remainder of the Grand Prix,” Williams said in a statement.

“This chassis will be returned to the team’s HQ at Grove for repair. Due to the fact that a third chassis is unavailable, the team can confirm it has taken the decision for Alex to compete for the remainder of the weekend in the chassis that Logan Sargeant drove in FP1 and FP2.”

“It’s unacceptable…”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...australian-gp/


‘Public vote of no confidence’ – Logan Sargeant Australian GP axe ‘nothing to do with deserve’
22 Mar 2024 2:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Williams did not bring a spare chassis with them to the Australian Grand Prix, leading team boss James Vowles to take the brutal decision of giving Albon Sargeant’s Williams so that he could continue in the race weekend, leaving Sargeant on the sidelines.

“It’s brutal, it’s ruthless, it’s a public vote of no confidence for Logan Sargeant, who is a really nice young guy, 23 years of age, second year in Formula 1,” said Slater. “Does he deserve it? No. He didn’t wreck his car. Alex Albon wrecked his and gets given Sergeant’s car.”

“But deserve has nothing to do with it. This is James Vowles, the Williams team principal, thinking, ‘What do I need to do to give the team a chance of winning some points? Well, I’ll put the guy in the car who’s claimed 27 points compared to Sargeant’s one point last season, who has been consistently better than Logan Sargeant, that’s what I’ve got to do in terms of what’s best for the team’.”

‘Public vote of no confidence’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/craig-...-australian-gp


Our verdict on savage Williams F1 driver swap for Australian GP
Mar 22, 2024
The Race

“A damning indictment of Williams’s limitations” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“A public vote of no-confidence” Glenn Freeman.
“A trait Williams has always had - and will need again” Edd Straw.

“Brutal but Sargeant wasn't powerless” Josh Suttill.
“A logical business decision “ Ben Anderson.
“Why keep Sargeant if this is how things are?” Charley Williams.
“Logical but surprising “ Gary Anderson.

‘The Race: Our verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/o...argeant-albon/


Williams right to pick Alex Albon over Logan Sargeant - but Australian GP mess was avoidable
Logan Sargeant will not race in the Australian Grand Prix because team-mate Alex Albon has been given his chassis to drive, after breaking his own in a practice crash
Mar 22, 2024, 11:06
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

But this is not a situation that should have arisen in the first place. Sargeant isn't racing this weekend because of a failure of organisation on the team's behalf, not because Albon lost control of his car on-track.

Vowles has done a great job since he took over as Williams boss just over a year ago, but looks to have dropped a painfully avoidable clanger here. And, to his credit, he has already admitted as much after making the decision to prioritise car development over the creation of the spare chassis they should have had on standby.

‘Painfully avoidable clanger’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...an-gp-32415748


Albon: 'Not much can be salvaged' from Australian GP practice crash
Alex Albon crashed heavily in FP1 in Melbourne to put his weekend in doubt.
22 March 9:48AM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

"I was exploring a little bit, went wide and had an aggressive kerb strike," Albon explained of the incident. "It lifted up the front, and I honestly didn't think anything of it at the time, I thought: 'Okay, it's fine, I'll probably just back out when the car lands', but when I did land, I bottomed out pretty badly.”

"When it bottomed out, it just kind of snapped me, so it is frustrating and I feel bad for everyone back at the factory and here at the track. It just did a lot of damage, so let's see if we can get it repaired. There is not that much that can be salvaged so we're going through and looking at where the damage is."

'Not much can be salvaged';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-not-...practice-crash


Hamilton slumps to 18th in Melbourne practice as changes backfire
22 March 2024 at 8:45 am
AFP
Yahoo! Sport

Despondent seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton bemoaned one of the "worst sessions for a long time" after changes made to his Mercedes backfired Friday in Melbourne.

The British star finished ninth in the first practice for the Australian Grand Prix, but slumped to 18th in the second session to be 1.5 seconds adrift of Ferrari pacesetter Charles Leclerc.

Mercedes changed his car's setup between FP1 and FP2 in a bid to improve the high-speed cornering problems and bouncing that dogged him in Saudi Arabia. But Hamilton said it made matters worse.

‘Changes backfire’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/ham...hF3-SEGoJLTTKP


Lewis Hamilton “despondent” as W15 woes worsen at F1 Australian GP
Lewis Hamilton's body language after Friday practice at the F1 Australian GP has been scrutinised.
22 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Karun Chandhok believes Lewis Hamilton “looked pretty despondent” following Friday practice at the F1 Australian Grand Prix. Speaking on the Sky F1 show, ex-racer-turned-pundit Chandhok felt Hamilton’s body language after FP2 was telling.

“He looked pretty despondent didn’t he?” Chandhok said. “It made me think of a comment George Russell made after Jeddah. Two weekends in a row, they seem to have started the weekend well and then progressively got less competitive, George felt at least, as the weekend unfolded.”

‘W15 woes worsen’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104586...-australian-gp


Lewis Hamilton insists he lost confidence in his Mercedes car after 'one of the WORST sessions in a long time'... with the Brit finishing 18th in second practice for the Australian Grand Prix
• Mercedes' struggles continued in practice for the Australian Grand Prix
• Hamilton was ninth in FP1 and suffered set-up issues during the second session
• The seven-time world champion said things 'got worse and worse' on Friday
Published: 09:39, 22 March 2024
By Kieran Lynch
MailOnline

Lewis Hamilton dejectedly admitted that the second practice for the Australian Grand Prix was one of the 'worst' he has had in a long time.

'P1 generally felt quite good, the car actually in P1, run one, felt the best it's ever felt, and it just got worse and worse. We made some big changes into P2 and it was tough. After that session, I feel the least confident I've ever felt with this car but there are positives from that P1 run that we did.'

After the session, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: 'I think in the second session we went through a really dramatic set-up change with Lewis and that has massively backfired.
'But this is why we are having these sessions - and on the other side it was a little bit better. But we are lacking performance over a single lap. Overall, it wasn't a good day.

‘Lost confidence in his Mercedes car’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Australian GP: Charles Leclerc quickest in FP3 as Carlos Sainz silences fitness questions.
Charles Leclerc set the pace in final practice for the Australian Grand Prix with Ferrari looking on course to fight Red Bull for pole position later today.
23 Mar 2024 2:39 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Only 19 drivers prepared to take to the track for the start of FP3 in Melbourne with Logan Sargeant ruled out of the action after Williams controversially handed his car to Alex Albon following the latter’s FP1 shunt. Leclerc made it a Ferrari 1-2 and complained about traffic – “There’s one thing that’s certain, you get an Aston Martin on the track” – while Russell improved to fifth place and Hamilton, sixth.

Oscar Piastri was the first to make notable gains on his qualy sim as he mixed it up between the Ferraris and Red Bulls. But with most of the drivers having similar tyre-life issue to Albon, when all was said and done it was Sainz’s medium tyre time of 1:16.791 that looked set to stand as the one to beat.

That’s until Leclerc and Verstappen, on their second flying laps, edged ahead. Leclerc was P1 with a a 1:16.714, 0.020s up on Verstappen with Sainz 0.077s down.

‘Leclerc quickest in FP3 as Carlos Sainz silences fitness questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austra...024-fp3-report


Australian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
23 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22 1:16.714
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 28 1:16.734 0.020
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:16.791 0.077
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 20 1:16.806 0.092
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:16.886 0.172
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 20 1:16.997 0.283
7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 28 1:17.014 0.300
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 19 1:17.087 0.373
9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 22 1:17.341 0.627
10 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:17.490 0.776

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-...ice-3-results/


The fascinating qualifying fight Australian GP FP3 has teased
Mar 23, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Final practice at the Australian Grand Prix has teased a fascinating Formula 1 qualifying session with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes separated by less than a tenth of a second. Charles Leclerc topped final practice for Ferrari as Red Bull’s closest challenger proved more than a match on both the medium and soft tyres.

Verstappen complained his brakes were not "biting" early on in FP3, then a less than convincing final multi-lap run on softs ended with a much more emphatic last-gasp lap that briefly put the three-time champion fastest.

But Leclerc then went even faster, shading Verstappen by just 0.020s - proving that even when the RB20 got into a sweeter spot with its brakes and tyres, Ferrari’s SF-24 was still extremely potent.

‘Australian GP FP3 has teased’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...inal-practice/


FP3 Highlights: 2024 Australian Grand Prix
23 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch highlights from final practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

‘FP3 Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...995104344.html


James Vowles grilled for Logan Sargeant decision in awkward interview
James Vowles has been criticised for his decision to stop Logan Sargeant from racing at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
23 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Williams F1 boss James Vowles has come under fire for his decision to stop Logan Sargeant from racing at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix to favour Alex Albon. Sargeant will not be in action for Williams in Melbourne after the team decided to give his chassis to teammate Albon.

Vowles addressed the situation in a slightly awkward interview with Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz ahead of FP3 on Saturday.
Ted Kravitz: "Why did you make the decision that you made?"

James Vowles: “So first of all let’s rewind. We don’t have a spare chassis here - that’s the failing as the result of things. It simply shouldn’t be in modern day Formula 1 without the ability to field two cars on the grid at the same time.”
TK: Hang on, that’s your responsibility, you’re team boss, that’s on you.

‘Awkward interview’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104595...ward-interview


Helmut Marko issues hammer blow to Daniel Ricciardo's hope of returning to Red Bull's top team, saying the Aussie is 'too slow' ahead of Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park
• Red Bull team advisor wants more from Daniel Ricciardo
• Follows poor results from Aussie in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
• Australian F1 Grand Prix to be staged on March 24 at 3pm
Published: 04:03, 23 March 2024
By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Red Bull supremo Helmut Marko has bluntly stated fan favourite Daniel Ricciardo is 'too slow' ahead of the Australian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday.

'So yes, [I would say at this stage], Ricciardo is a bit behind [from where he should be]. Let's put it this way: Tsunoda's qualifying speed is okay. But in the race, both are too slow.' Marko added that Sergio Perez is keeping world champion teammate Max Verstappen honest with two second place finishes this season.

‘Hammer blow to Daniel Ricciardo's hope’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen takes Australian GP pole as Lewis Hamilton suffers shock Q2 exit.
It was business as usual for Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who made it three poles from three races in F1 2024.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen claimed his third successive pole position of the 2024 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix. Red Bull’s reigning world champion did not top a session in Melbourne until it mattered most as he set a searing pace in Q3 as the only driver to get into the 1m15s.

Carlos Sainz impressed as Verstappen’s nearest challenger on his return to action following surgery to remove his appendix, with the Spaniard just 0.270s behind Verstappen as he put his Ferrari between the Red Bulls. Sergio Perez was third-quickest and will be joined on the second row by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who surprisingly out-qualified Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton was the big casualty of Q2 as he suffered his worst qualifying around Albert Park since 2010 with a time only good for 11th on the grid. The seven-time world champion holds the record for most poles in Melbourne with eight but was unable to join Mercedes teammate Russell in the top-10.

‘Did not top a session in Melbourne until it mattered most’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104598...-shock-q2-exit


Australian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
23 March 2024
by Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:16.819 1:16.387 1:15.915
2 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.731 1:16.189 1:16.185 0.270
3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:16.805 1:16.631 1:16.274 0.359
4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.430 1:16.750 1:16.315 0.400
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.984 1:16.304 1:16.435 0.520
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:17.369 1:16.601 1:16.572 0.657
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:17.062 1:16.901 1:16.724 0.809
8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:17.356 1:16.791 1:16.788 0.873
9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:17.376 1:16.780 1:17.072 1.157
10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:16.991 1:16.710 1:17.552 1.637

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-qualifying-results/


F1 Live: Australia GP Qualifying - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
23 Mar 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Australia GP Quali - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0DGgDfghyg


World champion Verstappen takes pole position for Australian Grand Prix
March 23, 2024 — 5.05pm
The Age

Formula 1 maestro and last year’s Australian Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen will start on pole for this year’s race at Albert Park. The reigning world champion Dutchman saved it until late to secure his spot at the top of the starting grid, racing out the street circuit in 1:15.915.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz joins Verstappen on the front row. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez will start Sunday’s race from third. Australia’s Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren, will start from sixth on the grid.

‘Formula 1 Maestro’;

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/moto...23-p5fepg.html


Verstappen surges to pole position for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Sainz and Perez
March 23, 2024, 06:27
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen claimed an assured pole position in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman setting the pace ahead of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez. After setting a time of 1m 16.048s in the first runs of Q3, Verstappen improved on his effort in the final laps with a 1m 15.915s. This put him 0.270s clear of Sainz, who had looked impressive in his first qualifying since returning following surgery for appendicitis two weeks ago.

Perez will share the second row with the lead McLaren of Lando Norris, while Charles Leclerc wound up fifth after abandoning his final flying lap. Home favourite Oscar Piastri will start from sixth, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in seventh and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda in eighth after a strong performance.

The Aston Martin duo of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso completed the top 10, with each having a moment during their laps in Q3. There was a shock in the final moments of Q2 as Lewis Hamilton was pushed out of the top 10 by Tsunoda, meaning that the seven-time world champion will start from P11 on the grid following a difficult session for Mercedes.

‘Assured pole position’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AWhU6JZcxTGsvc


Lewis Hamilton suffers Australian GP qualifying nightmare after Mercedes confidence blow
Lewis Hamilton could only go 11th fastest in qualifying in Melbourne, the day after admitting he had lost confidence in his Mercedes W15 after two tough practice sessions
March 23, 2024, 05:55
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton suffered embarrassment in Australian Grand Prix qualifying by failing to even reach the top 10. The Briton looked uncomfortable throughout the session but navigated his way through Q1 easily enough. However, in the second part of the session, he failed to put a strong lap together and left himself in danger.

After failing to improve with his final flying lap, Hamilton was ninth and on the cusp of the danger zone. And when Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll found the pace to improve their times, he was condemned to 11th on the grid for Sunday's race in Melbourne.

"Are we safe or not?" asked the nervous seven-time F1 champion over the radio after his disappointing last lap. Mercedes race engineer Peter Bonnington replied: "Negative, we've just been bumped," after Tsunoda and Stroll saved themselves.

‘Qualifying nightmare’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...fying-32423230


Disaster for Daniel Ricciardo with the Aussie driver ELIMINATED from qualifying at Australian F1 Grand Prix
• Ricciardo had never being eliminated in Q1 in Australia
• Delivered clutch lap to put himself in a strong position
• Stewards deleted the time, though, due to a technicality
Published: 05:56, 23 March 2024
By Josh Alston For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Daniel Ricciardo has been eliminated from the first qualifying session at the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park for the first time in history after exceeding track limits. The Aussie had delivered what appeared to be a clutch final lap to advance to Q2 before stewards deleted that time because they deemed Ricciardo exceeded track limits at Turn 5.

The deleted lap time would have placed Ricciardo in 12th position and been good enough for him to advance to Q2. RB team principal Laurent Mekies said: 'It's very difficult to swallow but that's the way it is. Daniel was doing a very good job, probably his best lap so far and more than enough to get into Q2. 'He was a bit wide in Turn 5 and by a few centimetres we are off track.'

‘Aussie driver ELIMINATED’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rand-Prix.html

[Fortitude]

Daniel Ricciardo’s worrying ‘all I had’ admission after nightmare qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo will start only 18th on grid for his home F1 race after losing his best lap time in qualifying.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Ricciardo has suffered three consecutive qualifying defeats to Tsunoda amid a difficult start to 2024, leading Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko to pile pressure on the 34-year-old by telling him to raise his game.

Daniel Ricciardo has been left in disbelief and cut a dejected figure following a nightmare qualifying at the F1 Australian Grand Prix.

The RB driver had produced a lap good enough to get through to Q2 in Melbourne but was knocked out in Q1 when his time was deleted for a track limits violation, which dropped him down to 18th.

‘All I had’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104599...are-qualifying


Aussie motor racing great urges Daniel Ricciardo to reel in his social commitments and 'shut the whole world out' to give himself a chance of success at Australian F1 Grand Prix
• Daniel Ricciardo needs to be focused on performing
• Aussie motor racing great David Brabham wants grid results
• Brabham fears Ricciardo is struggling to stay relevant in F1
• Australian F1 Grand Prix to be staged from 3pm on Sunday
Published: 01:09, 23 March 2024
By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Australian motor racing great David Brabham has urged Daniel Ricciardo to 'shut the whole world out' so he can give himself every opportunity to silence the doubters in Sunday's Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park.

'[As it stands], he may not have enough mojo to perform at the level that Red Bull would be happy with,' Brabham, who famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2009, told Wide World of Sports.

'He's not there to play second fiddle to [teammate Yuki] Tsunoda, so the pressure already will undoubtedly be mounting on him. Tsunoda is outperforming him. 'He [Ricciardo] needs to dig deep, and perhaps even move away from the joker role he has.'

'Shut the whole world out';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...d-Prix-F1.html


‘There’s more to it’: Worrying Ricciardo admission as F1’s ‘painful’ mystery laid bare
March 23rd, 2024 6:33 pm
Jacob Polychronis from Fox Sport
Fox Sports (Australia)

Daniel Ricciardo’s first-ever Q1 exit at his home Grand Prix has intensified pressure on his position - and future in F1 – with the Australian at a loss to explain his lack of pace. Ricciardo was one of the first drivers eliminated in qualifying after his best time was deleted for exceeding track limits.

The Australian was in the drop zone in the dying stages of Q1, but appeared to pull out a clutch lap time for RB that had him safely going through to Q2. But replays showed Ricciardo left the track limits between Turns 4 and 5 by a big margin, resulting in his time being made invalid.

‘There’s more to it’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1...niel+Ricciardo


Ricciardo despair has first worrying echo of McLaren nightmare
Mar 23, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Daniel Ricciardo cut a baffled figure after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix - and not simply because of the disappointment of a track limits violation eliminating him in Q1. Instead because of the worrying echoes of his difficult years at McLaren after a lap he felt “was all I had” was over a tenth slower than what RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda managed.

However, Ricciardo is adamant that he’s not in the same situation as McLaren because he feels confident in the car. “OK, the time got deleted, but the lap itself was definitely the best quali lap that I’ve done this year, and those ones are normally quite good,” said Ricciardo. “Going into Q2, I don’t know where there was much more time.”

‘Echo of McLaren nightmare’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/d...a-1-nightmare/


Dejected Ricciardo shows first flashes of McLaren depths
Daniel Ricciardo cut a broken figure in the Melbourne paddock after being dumped in Q1 for Australian Grand Prix qualifying - and it's a familiar tale.
23 March 10:45AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Realisation sets in… "I don't know if I've figured out... I don't think it has sunk in yet where I start, it is certainly painful," Ricciardo told media including RacingNews365. "The only thing I can think about is just that it is probably a two-stop race, so that opens up a few more opportunities, and maybe if I can be a bit nicer on the tyres, if some guys struggle with graining and maybe we can charge through the field.”

"I am very aware of track limits and know that if you go past, you are going to get your time deleted, it is not like I am arguing with the fact, but deep down part of me is frustrated that I have to push the car that hard and it has put me in a position where I am risking that situation. I knew at the time that at Turn 4 I was fighting it, and I remember taking more kerb than usual, so I knew I was wider than normal.”

"But it is funny, you do it, and after Turn 5, I'd forgotten about it and did the lap and then eventually [race engineer] Pierre [Hamelin], I'd honestly forgotten all about it. It took a while for it to sink in, but then I saw the lap itself, and I was happy from my side, I felt like I got everything out of it.”

‘Flashes of McLaren depths’;

https://racingnews365.com/dejected-r...-mclaren-nadir

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton blames wind for Australian GP flop as Toto Wolff says 'there's no excuse'.
Lewis Hamilton bemoaned his inconsistent Mercedes car and the wind which unsettled it and led to an awful Australian Grand Prix qualifying result.
Mar 23, 2024, 06:56
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton will start the Australian Grand Prix in 11th place after a qualifying session to forget in Melbourne, leaving Mercedes boss Toto Wolff frustrated again. Hamilton failed to reach Q3 in Melbourne and will start Sunday's race 11th on the grid. And he was baffled by his own inability to extract performance from his car after faring well in practice earlier in the day.

He said: "It felt great in FP3 and it was strange because we were right there with those guys and we didn't really understand why. But then in qualifying... the inconsistency in the car really messes with the mind. "George [Russell] did a good job today. It is what it is - I have to try to do a better job tomorrow." Russell did manage to reach the final part of qualifying and put his own Mercedes seventh on the grid, outqualifying Hamilton for the fourth consecutive time.

‘Australian GP flop’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...fying-32423249


Lewis Hamilton blames Mercedes car in rant as Toto Wolff fumes 'it's not good enough'
06:38, Sat, Mar 23, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton was left extremely frustrated with the W15 after qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday, while team principal Toto Wolff blasted Mercedes' performance as 'not good enough'.

Wolff was also unimpressed with his team's offerings in Melbourne. "It's especially underwhelming because we were within a tenth in FP3," he told Ted Kravitz. "The conditions were a little bit different but there is no excuse.

"We have a car that is difficult and you can be narrowly in and out of the window, and as much as I am annoyed myself of saying this for a long time, we just need to continue working on it and trying to get better. It is not because of a lack of trying that we are where we are, but it's not good enough."

‘Wolff fumes 'it's not good enough';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Wolff-Mercedes


'Believes that it's cursed': Ted Kravitz says Lewis Hamilton disagrees with Toto Wolff over over Mercedes car
Sat 23 March 2024 14:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have different opinions over Mercedes’ car, Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz says. And speaking on Ted’s Notebook, Kravitz suggested that he doesn’t share the same attitude to the W15 to his team boss.

Kravitz said: “I thought it was optimistic for Toto Wolff to say that he still believes that this car is somehow going to get there. “Clearly, I don’t think Lewis Hamilton believes it. I think Lewis Hamilton believes that it’s cursed with the same bad handling characteristics, especially at the rear of the car, that last year’s car and the car before it had as well. Clearly this car is still not right.”

Commentator David Croft says Hamilton’s early exit left the crowd ‘shellshocked’. But Martin Brundle watched the veteran driver exert ‘a lot of effort’ for only ‘marginal’ improvements before RB driver Yuki Tsunoda knocked him out. Hamilton knows that he almost certainly won’t win an eighth title with Mercedes but will want to sign off on a high.

‘Shellshocked’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...-mercedes-car/


Toto Wolff admits ‘illusion’ for Mercedes to get close to Red Bull after ‘underwhelming’ qualifying
23 Mar 2024 10:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has said he remains optimistic the W15 has more performance than it has shown, but admitted Red Bull is out of reach for now.

With Mercedes openly experimenting with alternative setups and trying different things in a bid to figure their car out as quickly as possible, Wolff said it’s not as simple as needing to dial in more balance.

“I think it’s more complex than that – it’s the whole interaction of aerodynamics and mechanical and the tyres,” he said. “It’s never a single topic, but we’ve got to just keep our heads down and push through this.”

‘Illusion’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...ing-qualifying


Annoyed Toto Wolff admits ‘there’s no excuse’ for Mercedes’ poor performance
Toto Wolff left frustrated by Mercedes' lack of performance in Australian Grand Prix qualifying.
23 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes had found encouraging performance gains in final practice on Saturday morning, with Hamilton getting within a tenth of the fastest time, only for the team’s competitiveness to dramatically drop away in qualifying.

"It's especially underwhelming because we were within a tenth in FP3,” Mercedes team principal Wolff told Sky. “The conditions were a little bit different but there is no excuse. We have a car that's difficult and you can be narrowly in or out of the window.”

"As much as I'm annoyed myself about saying this for a long time, we just need to continue working on it. It's not because of a lack of trying but we are where we are and it's not good enough.”

‘Toto Wolff left frustrated’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104599...or-performance

[Fortitude]

‘Life is crazy sometimes’ – Sainz overjoyed after ‘rollercoaster’ ride from hospital bed to Australian GP victory.
Carlos Sainz could not hide his delight as he marked his return to action at the Australian Grand Prix with a commanding victory, making the most of an early-race retirement for Max Verstappen.
24 March 2024, 07:42
Formula One - Official Site

Just two weeks on from sitting out the Saudi Arabia race with appendicitis and undergoing surgery, Sainz challenged Verstappen for pole position at Albert Park and took the lead on the second lap of the race as the Red Bull driver battled brake issues. With Verstappen soon retiring, Sainz’s path to victory was clear and he added to a “rollercoaster” period – which also included the winter news that Lewis Hamilton will replace him next year – by leading a Ferrari one-two.

“It was a really good race; I felt really good out there,” said Sainz, who finished just under two-and-a-half seconds clear of team mate Charles Leclerc. “Of course, [I’m] a bit stiff, especially physically, it wasn’t the easiest, but I was lucky that I was more or less on my own. I could manage my pace, manage the tyres, manage everything.”

“It wasn’t the toughest race of all, but yeah, very happy, very proud of the team. I’m happy to be in a one-two with Charles here. It shows that hard work pays off. Life sometimes is crazy, what happened at the beginning of year, then the podium in Bahrain, then the appendix, the comeback, the win... it’s a rollercoaster but I loved it and I’m extremely happy.”

‘Life is crazy sometimes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ayPberbc0aFvbl


Australian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
24 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff Pts
1 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 58 25
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 2.366 19
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 5.904 15
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 35.77 12
5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 56.309 10
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 63.894 8
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 84.818 6
8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 92.922 4
9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 106.684 2
10 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1L 1

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/australian-gp-race-results/


Championship standings after 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix
Check out the full 2024 F1 championship standings after the Australian Grand Prix.
24 March 6:26AM
RacingNews365 Staff

Max Verstappen has retained his lead in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship despite his non-finish at the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz scored his third career victory only two weeks after having surgery to remove his appendix, with teammate Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Lando Norris completing the podium.

# Driver Team Points

1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Red Bull Racing 51

2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari 47

3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull Red Bull Racing 46

4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari 40

5 Oscar Piastri McLaren McLaren Racing 28

6 Lando Norris McLaren McLaren Racing 27

7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aston Martin F1 Team 20

8 George Russell Mercedes Mercedes AMG F1 18

9 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Mercedes AMG F1 8

10 Lance Stroll Aston Martin Aston Martin F1 Team 7

‘With the third round of the season in the books, take a look at the updated championship standings below!’;

https://racingnews365.com/championsh...ian-grand-prix


F1 Live: Australia GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary
24 March 2024
Racing Statistics

F1 Live: Australia GP Race - Watchalong - Live Timings + Commentary F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Racing Statistics.

‘Lets Watchalong!’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyfMueT3Vg4


Carlos Sainz puts appendix surgery behind him to WIN the Australian Grand Prix in a race dominated by retirements for Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
He started on pole, but was passed by Sainz, who used his DRS power to seize control of the afternoon 16 days after undergoing appendix surgery. What a star.
Published: 05:33, 24 March 2024
By Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline

Nobody could have foretold Verstappen's misfortune of the brake failure that struck at the start of the 58-lap event. Ring the church bells! For Verstappen was reporting he had lost his car. Then smoke came out of the back rear of his usually impregnable machine.

He retired at the end of the fourth lap, flames now coming from his stricken machine as he pulled into his pit box. He got out disgruntled, obviously. But he can afford to write off his problem as a likely blip, even if the cheers of the record 132,105 crowd can hardly have warmed him. They were just delighted to see a period of domination like no other in the history of the sport interrupted.

He was furious to be held in the car while his mechanics attempted a pit stop despite him sitting in the midst of a fire. He remonstrated with performance director Tom Hart in the garage about this point, seemingly saying: 'F***ing stupid.'

‘Carlos Sainz puts appendix surgery behind him to WIN’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...e-Russell.html


MAX VERSTAPPEN SEES AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX GO UP IN SMOKE: 'IT'S A SHAME'
24 March 2024
Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

Once changed out of his racing suit, Max addresses the media to talk about the retirement: “I think something went wrong from the start. We could see on the data that the right rear brake was stuck and the temperature kept increasing. We don’t know exactly yet, but something went wrong there. That’s also why I had that moment in turn three, where I braked and it looked like one of the brakes was stuck and I lost the car.”

The brake problem only came to light after the start of the race: “On the way to the grid the car still felt perfect and I felt confident in the car. During the first few laps, the brakes are still quite cold. Normally a brake cools down again, but the rear brake didn’t cool down anymore and the temperature kept rising. As a result, you have a huge difference between the brakes, so that’s far from ideal.”

Max continues: “You could see it when I was behind Sainz. I could overtake him again, but lost the car again in turn six and almost went off track there. The car was very difficult to drive, so you could tell that something was wrong.” Verstappen is calm but obviously disappointed to miss out on a tenth Grand Prix victory in a row: “It’s a mechanical sport, these things can happen. It’s of course a shame that it had to happen today, because we could have won here.”

‘The brake problem only came to light after the start of the race’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5415/


Lewis Hamilton bemoans ‘worst start to a season ever’ after Australian Grand Prix retirement
Mar 24, 2024, 7:17am
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton says he’s enduring ‘the worst start to a season I’ve ever had’ after retiring from the Australian Grand Prix. ‘I think the engine seized. It appeared out of nowhere, it was a split second thing,’ Hamilton told Sky Sports, explaining his retirement. The 39-year-old briefly diced with the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and once again he was left in awe of how quick his rival’s car was.

‘Massive gap [to Red Bull]. I think they have a second on us, the way he [Perez] pulled down the straight… same as last year!’ He later added: ‘I mean, this is the worst start to season I’ve ever had. Oh, yeah, for sure [even worse than the last two]. And it’s worse than 2009 I think.’

‘Worst start to a season ever’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/24/lewis...o=newsnow-feed


George Russell flips car in massive crash on final lap of Australian Grand Prix
George Russell was involved in a massive shunt on the last lap in Melbourne.
05:29, Sun, Mar 24, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell was involved in a terrifying crash on the final lap of the Australian Grand Prix, with the Mercedes ace making a critical mistake while battling Fernando Alonso. Carlos Sainz took the chequered flag in Melbourne to complete a Ferrari one-two after Max Verstappen was forced to retire early on with smoke billowing from his Red Bull car.

Just moments before the end of the race, Russell crashed out after losing the rear end while chasing Alonso in the battle for sixth place. Replays showed the Mercedes driver coming up behind his Spanish rival before spinning out and smashing into the barriers at high speed.

Russell quickly confirmed that he was okay before he was taken back to the pit lane, with the race finishing under virtual safety car conditions. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIA after the chequered flag with both drivers set to meet the stewards later on.

‘Flips car in massive crash’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

F1 Australian GP Results: Sainz Storms from Surgery To Success.
Just over two weeks removed from missing a grand prix for surgery Carlos Sainz benefits from Max Verstappen’s woes to win in Melbourne.
Mar 24, 2024
Phillip Horton
AutoWeek

Carlos Sainz sat out the previous round in Saudi Arabia after a diagnosis of appendicitis prompted surgery on qualifying day. He conceded on Thursday in Australia that the first week post-surgery was tough, spending most of the days in bed, and that he prioritized his recovery over his usual training regime or simulator activities. He would not, he emphasized, be operating at 100 per cent of his typical ability.

Through practice Ferrari was strong, and Sainz put the car on the front row of the grid, with the race runs during practice indicating that Ferrari could place Red Bull under pressure at a front-limited circuit where the risk of tire graining is high. Ultimately such a race between the teams never came to fruition as Verstappen was stymied by a terminal brake problem from the start, removing him from the equation, but once up front Sainz professionally managed the race and was untroubled from behind as he claimed his third career victory.

Sainz headed Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc to ensure the Scuderia took its first 1-2 result in over two years, and Sainz again submitted an excellent advertisement of his talents to prospective employers.

‘Surgery To Success’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...ry-to-success/


FROM HOSPITAL BED TO TOP STEP: SAINZ EXCLAIMS ‘LIFE SOMETIMES IS CRAZY’
The Spaniard claimed an unexpected victory at the Australian Grand Prix
March 24, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Sainz was back behind the wheel of his SF-24 for the Australian Grand Prix weekend, despite still feeling significant discomfort after the removal of his inflamed appendix. He had stated that he would be the first to raise his hand if he felt like he couldn’t continue. However with adrenaline pushing him through he looked quick through all three practice sessions and lined up on the front row alongside the dominant Max Verstappen with a P2 in Qualifying.

Speaking to F1 media after the race, Sainz reflected on the unanticipated race win. He said: “It was a really good race; I felt really good out there. “Of course, a bit stiff, especially physically, it wasn’t the easiest, but I was lucky that I was more or less on my own. I could manage my pace, manage the tyres, manage everything. It wasn’t the toughest race of all, but yeah, very happy, very proud of the team. I’m happy to be in a one-two with Charles here. It shows that hard work pays off”, added the 29-year-old.

‘Unexpected victory’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/fr...imes-is-crazy/


‘I guess this will help me get a job for next year’ jokes Sainz after victory in Melbourne
24 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Just two weeks ago Carlos Sainz was undergoing surgery – but stepped back in the car this weekend in Australia to win at the very first attempt since his operation.

‘I guess this will help me’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...453370857.html


“Still jobless” Carlos Sainz’s “I proved it” verdict after F1 Australian GP glory
Carlos Sainz might have alerted potential suitors with a brilliant F1 Australian Grand Prix victory
24 Mar 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz made an emphatic statement for the ongoing drivers market with his F1 Australian Grand Prix win. A delighted Sainz told Martin Brundle that he was proud: “Yes. You cannot imagine how proud I am.

“You know how tough the start of my year has been - the non-renewal, putting together a good preseason testing, podium at the first race, I was ready to fight this year. Then, appendix, another low. Then suddenly you come back and win.”

Brundle asked Sainz if this result could help him secure a contract for the 2025 F1 grid. He answered: “I am still jobless next year! I know that when I am given a good car, I can get it done. I’ve proved it in Singapore, and here. I am happy. Very happy with the car today.”

“Still jobless”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/104614...alian-gp-glory


Our verdict on Red Bull's Australian GP misery + Sainz excellence
Mar 24, 2024
The Race

When Max Verstappen took pole position for the Australian Grand Prix in the face of his biggest challenge yet in 2024, the expectation was surely that the three-time Formula 1 world champion would romp clear on Sunday in similar fashion to the opening two rounds of the season.

“A race - and result - F1 desperately needed” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“One frustrating unanswered question remains” Ben Anderson.
“Sainz is ready to be Verstappen's team-mate again” Josh Suttill.

“A hint of what Verstappen might be craving” Matt Beer.
“Ferrari's got its house in order” Jack Cozens.

‘The Race: Our verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...e-our-verdict/


Sainz savours victory after 'rollercoaster' start to season
Melbourne (AFP) – Carlos Sainz said he was savouring the moment Sunday after a "rollercoaster" start to the season culminated in a fighting victory at the Australian Grand Prix.
24/03/2024 - 09:05
France 24

The 29-year-old Spaniard started the year being informed he had been dumped by Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton next season, leaving him without a drive in 2025. He responded with a podium place in the opening race of the year in Bahrain before being struck down with appendicitis ahead of Saudi Arabia.

Surgery and a bed-ridden week later, he pulled off a remarkable win in Melbourne after many doubted he should even be in the car so soon. "It's not only the last two weeks. It's the whole start to the year in general, how the year started with the news of the non-renewal," said Sainz, reflecting on a whirlwind 2024.

"Then you get yourself fit. You get yourself ready for the start of the season, pushing flat out. And then you get to Bahrain. You do a good podium. You say, 'OK, now the season is starting well and I can keep the momentum going'. And suddenly, boom, you're missing a race in Jeddah and the operation."

‘Sainz savours victory’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...tart-to-season


Red Bull ‘nemesis’ Carlos Sainz catches Christian Horner’s attention for F1 2025 seat
24 Mar 2024 12:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has said it’s impossible to rule out “any possibility” after Carlos Sainz’s controlled win in Australia. Sainz’s win is only the second non-Red Bull victory between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, with the Ferrari driver having also won last year’s Singapore Grand Prix as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were both unable to join in the fight at the front.

Perez’s contract is also up for renewal for 2025, and came into the season fully informed that he needs a much better season this year than he had in 2023 as he struggled for pace and consistency alongside Max Verstappen. So far, Perez has performed, but Sainz is a possibility if Red Bull do decide to look elsewhere.

Pressed on the topic of whether he’d (Christian Horner) be interested in hiring the “very fast unemployed driver that won today”. “We want to field the best pairing we can with Red Bull Racing so, sometimes, you got to look outside the pool as well,” Horner said. “The market is reasonably fluid in certain parts. I mean, based on a performance like that, you couldn’t rule any possibility out.”

‘Red Bull ‘nemesis’ Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...lity-2025-seat

[Fortitude]

‘Went down like a cold flat white’: Oscar told to step aside in tough Aus Grand Prix call.
“I have to tell you Crofty that went down like a cold flat white with the crowd, that position swap,” Pit expert Ted Kravitz summed up how the news was received by the huge crowd.
March 24th, 2024 6:49 pm
James Dampney from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

McLaren’s orders to Oscar Piastri “went down like a cold flat white” after the young Aussie star was told to move aside for teammate Lando Norris at Albert Park. Piastri, 22, was running third through 29 laps in the Australian F1 Grand Prix when he was ordered to let teammate Norris through.

“Piastri is now being told to swap positions and to move aside and let your teammate through and that’s exactly what he’s done,” commentator David Croft said. That must feel especially horrible in your home race. “But as we’ve often seen with Oscar Piastri, the team asks you to do something, he does it, he doesn’t complain, he’ll have a debrief later.”

Fellow commentator Martin Brundle, always the straight shooter, replied that that’s life sometimes in motorsport. “What goes around comes around and they probably need to release Norris a little bit,” Brundle said. “In a way he’s on a different strategy isn’t he, (Norris) pitted lap 14, Piastri lap 9, so they want to try to use the freshness of that tyre.”

‘Went down like a cold flat white’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...f2790349c136ac


Brutal call robs Aussie Oscar Piastri of third place at his home grand prix - as Daniel Ricciardo has yet another shocking result
• Piastri came fourth in Melbourne
• Teammate Lando Norris finished third
• Ricciardo's struggles continued
Published: 07:10, 24 March 2024
By Shayne Bugden For Daily Mail Australia


Oscar Piastri was on course to become the first Australian to record a podium finish at his home grand prix before his McLaren team ordered him to let his teammate Lando Norris past on Sunday. Boos were heard from the patriotic crowd at Albert Park as Piastri obeyed the order - although the Aussie was diplomatic about the incident after the chequered flag, saying Norris had out-qualified him and was the quicker of the two during the race.

Piastri started fifth, with Norris fourth, but managed to get past his teammate during the first round of pit stops. 'I would have loved to have been one spot up but no, pretty happy with that,' he said after the race. 'Few little things that I could've done a bit better in that race. I think I just struggled a little bit in that middle stint on the hard [tyre].'

The Melburnian got a standing ovation when he crossed the line, but the fans were far from happy when he and Norris changed places. 'I have to tell you that went down like a cold flat white with the crowd,' commentator Ted Kravitz said.

‘Boos were heard from the patriotic crowd at Albert Park as Piastri obeyed the order’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...Ricciardo.html


These were calls that cost Piastri a podium in Melbourne
March 24, 2024 — 8.26pm
Matthew Clayton
The Sydney Morning Herald

Oscar Piastri was pragmatic after being asked by McLaren to move aside for teammate Lando Norris in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, the Australian driver calling the team order “completely fair” after finishing fourth in his second race at home at Albert Park.

Piastri, who started in fifth place and two spots behind his teammate, was pitted before Norris on lap nine to cover off the Mercedes of George Russell, who stopped earlier in a bid to undercut the Australian.

“For me, it’s been a strong weekend. A couple of mistakes when it mattered which was a bit frustrating, but today has been a solid result,” Piastri said. “I would have loved to have been one spot higher, but for the team I think it’s been an amazing weekend with gap to Ferrari being a lot smaller.”

‘Calls that cost Piastri a podium’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsp...24-p5fes5.html


Told to give way, Oscar refuses to grouch as podium curse continues
March 24, 2024 — 4.51pm
Chip Le Grand
WA Today

For nearly 20 glorious laps, Oscar Piastri could almost taste the champagne. Brilliantly blue skies. More than 130,000 people packed into the circuit. And only the gleaming red Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc standing between Piastri and lead of the Australian Grand Prix. In 2002, the year after Piastri was born, Mark Webber was invited onto the podium by race winner Michael Schumacher but only as a special guest, after he steered his Minardi through a demolition derby to somehow scrape into the points, Stephen Bradbury style.

In 2014, Daniel Ricciardo, his then Red Bull team and everyone else at the Albert Park circuit thought he had broken the hoodoo, when he crossed the line in second place and took part in the podium celebrations. After a sharp-eyed race steward noticed that Ricciardo’s car had breached an arcane rule governing fuel loads, the bubbles turned to vinegar.

This time, it was Piastri who felt the sting of coming oh so close. For nearly a third of the race, he doggedly trailed the twin Ferraris, each lap giving rise to the possibility of fabled finish for the home-town boy. Then, without warning, team radio crackled with an instruction from his McLaren bosses to move over for teammate Lando Norris…

‘Told to give way’;

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/mot...24-p5fetf.html


Lando Norris caught on camera SWEARING at a fan who mocked his failure to win a Formula One race... after Briton finished third in the Australian Grand Prix
• Lando Norris claimed the 14th podium of his career in Australia on Sunday
• One fan shouted to remind him that he is still yet to win a race in Formula One
• Norris responded by letting the man know what he thought of the comment
01:05, 25 March 2024
Spencer Morgan


Lando Norris had a quick and rather unsavory response for a fan who mocked him following the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. McLaren driver Norris claimed the 14th podium of his career, finishing third behind the two Ferraris.

The 24-year-old is still waiting for the first Formula One race win of his career, something which a fan took the chance to remind him of. 'When are you gonna win a race Lando?', the man shouted as Norris made his way through the crowd.

The Brit responded by sticking his middle finger up in the direction of the man, who found it highly amusing.

‘Norris responded’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rand-Prix.html


Oscar Piastri laments missed podium: Is he bitter about team orders?
Oscar Piastri finished fourth at the 2024 Australian GP.
March 24, 2024 - 07:42
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri finished just one place shy of the podium at places at his home race in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, with McLaren controversially issuing team orders but the youngster says he had no issues with them.

Andrea Stella‘s team made the call to switch Piastri with Lando Norris on Lap 29 as they chased after Charles Leclerc and possibly Carlos Sainz depending on their pace in the second half of the race around the Albert Park Circuit.

Yet they could not catch either Ferrari and as a result, Norris finished third whilst Piastri had to settle for fourth. Despite that, the 22-year-old feels they were more than fair due to the pace difference across the weekend.

‘Oscar Piastri laments missed podium’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...n-team-orders/