Max Verstappen set himself up for a record-equalling 10th successive win by taking pole position for the Australian Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Red Bull star saw off a spirited Ferrari challenge, beating Carlos Sainz by 0.270 of a second at Albert Park in front of a crowd just short of 131,000.
Verstappen won 10 races last season, a feat never before achieved in the sport’s history. Amazingly, he can repeat the achievement on Sunday, having not lost since the Singapore Grand Prix in September last year. His winning streak started in Japan.
His car is clearly good but a measure of the Dutchman’s ability was that he qualified 0.359sec ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, who was third quickest. Lando Norris, of McLaren, will start fourth.
Verstappen has now taken pole in all three races this year.
Max Verstappen qualified in pole position for the Australian GP, with team-mate Sergio Perez third
It was a devastating day for Lewis Hamilton, who could only make it to 11th in qualifying
‘It was a bit unexpected today, but I am very happy with Q3,’ said Verstappen. ‘Both of my laps felt nice and enjoyable. It was a tricky weekend so far but we managed to be there at the end.
‘They (Ferrari) seem very quick in the long runs so there is a question mark over tomorrow.’
Lewis Hamilton had a terrible day, qualifying only 11th best, 0.059sec off team-mate George Russell, who ended up seventh. Russell has outperformed the seven-time world champion in qualifying all year. The pair of them stand at 26-26 in qualifying since Russell joined Mercedes.
It was Hamilton’s lowest grid slot since 2010 at the sunlit track where he has recorded pole an unmatched eight times.
Sainz’s performance was laudable considering he missed the last race in Jeddah a fortnight ago after having emergency surgery to remove his appendix.
The 29-year-old Spaniard said: ‘It has been a tough couple of weeks, a lot of days in bed, waiting to see if I would be here today, and to make it to this weekend and then to put it on the front row, I almost didn’t believe it.
‘I was rusty yesterday but I got up to speed and found the pace and I feel good with the car.
‘I am not going to lie, I am not in my most comfortable state when I am driving out there but I can get it done. I have a lot of wired feelings, but no pain, so I will go flatout.”
Sergio Perez performed brilliantly to qualify second on his return from appendix surgery
Logan Sargeant will not race after Alex Albon crashed his Williams on Friday, and Williams chose the latter to drive for them
A colossal crowd just short of 131,000 assembled at Albert Park to watch the speed show
Racing Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo will start his home race from 18th position after having his time deleted at the end of Q1.
The Australian had pushed himself into the top runners only to be deemed to have exceeded track limits. It was a disappointment for the packed grandstands that had cheered him to the rafters only moments earlier.
Only Zhou Guanyu, of Stake, will start behind Ricciardo on a 19-man grid.
There will not be the usual 20 cars because Alex Albon crashed his Williams on Friday and his machinery was irreparable. Yet Albon will start the race after he was handed his team-mate Logan Sargeant’s car.
Therefore, Sargeant will sit out the event – harsh on the American, but team principal James Vowles believes the London-born Albon offers a better chance of a higher finish.
Albon qualified 12th.
