Welcome to our coverage of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix from Albert Park. Well, what to say about yesterday’s qualifying session? Was it a good one? Yes, I think so. Was the outcome predictable? Probably. Max Verstappen took his third pole position of the season by just under three tenths from Carlos Sainz. In fact, Q3 was the only session across the weekend that he topped. And that is all that matters.
What is the difference? Could Ferrari have got more from their qualifying? I do not think Sainz could have got a great deal more from his Ferrari. There is always time to find but not the three tenths he needed to usurp Verstappen. Charles Leclerc messed up his final lap in Q3 but Sainz looked to be the quicker Ferrari driver towards the end of qualifying. Verstappen, simply, is driving too well to be usurped, even if the RB20 has some vulnerabilities over one lap in qualifying. Fair play.
Might we have a fight for the victory today? Ferrari’s race pace has been talked up throughout the weekend – and Verstappen said he might have a fight today – but if the Dutchman gets to the first corner first I cannot see it. Hopefully they can stick to within a few seconds to give Red Bull something to think about. McLaren might be in with an outside shout of a podium too.