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Three In A Row As Max Verstappen Takes Australian Grand Prix Pole Position

By Robert Haile

It could be a perfect start to his title defence as Max Verstappen takes his third pole position of the season.

The Red Bull’s three time world champion made it three from three as he claimed his place at the front of the grid.

Returning Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was second showing his appendix operation has left him with no issues.

It was a Red Bull 1-3 at the end of qualifying but Sergio Perez had been handed a three place grid penalty for impeding.

Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit – Mark Thompson/Getty Images

McLaren’s Lando Norris took fourth with Charles Leclerc abandoning his final attempt to finish fifth for Ferrari with Australian Oscar Piastri leading the home charge in sixth.

George Russell was the only Mercedes in the top ten in seventh while Yuki Tsunoda’s RB was eighth ahead of Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.

Having been dropped into eleventh Lewis Hamilton final Australian Grand Prix for Mercedes starts from eleventh with Alex Albon the only Williams driver after he damaged his chassis in free practice and was given Logan Sargeant’s car.

Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas starts thirteenth with Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and Esteban Ocon just behind in fourteenth and fifteenth.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas just missed out on the second qualifying session in sixteenth with Pierre Gasly in seventeenth RB’s Daniel Ricciardo is a disappointing eighteenth while Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu starts at the back in nineteenth.

The Australian Grand Prix starts at 4 am GMT on Sunday, March 24.

Australian Grand Prix Qualifying

  1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
  2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
  3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)*
  4. Lando Norris (McLaren)
  5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
  6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
  7. George Russell (Mercedes)
  8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
  9. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
  10. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
  11. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
  12. Alex Albon (Williams)
  13. Vallteri Bottas (Kick Sauber)
  14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
  15. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
  16. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
  17. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
  18. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
  19. Zhou Guanyu (Kick Sauber)
  20. Logan Sargeant (Williams)*

Perez has a three place penalty and Sargeant will not start the race.