During Friday’s first free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, Lando Norris led the pack for McLaren, closely followed by Max Verstappen from Red Bull and George Russell of Mercedes.
The session at Albert Park, bathed in sunshine, was filled with dramatic moments, with several drivers veering off course as they got used to Melbourne’s street circuit once again and coped with a surface that gradually cleared off its initial layer of dust.
Formula One History Recommends
One of the most notable incidents occurred with about 20 minutes left in the session, when Alex Albon misjudged his exit from Turn 7, clipping the kerb too aggressively. This mistake resulted in his Williams car being launched across the track into the wall.
Despite the crash, Albon informed his team via the radio that he was unharmed after stopping at Turn 8, his car having crossed back over the track. However, his car’s damage and the debris scattered across the track led to a several-minute-long session suspension as officials worked to clear the mess.
As the session resumed, many drivers eagerly returned to the track on soft tyres, aiming to surpass Norris’ leading time. Despite their efforts, Norris maintained the top position by a slim margin of 0.018 seconds over Verstappen, thanks to his 1:18.564 lap on the soft, red-marked tyres.
Charles Leclerc was at the first of the Ferrari’s, securing fourth place, while Yuki Tsunoda impressively claimed fifth for RB, benefitting from a well timed soft run. He was followed by Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull in sixth and Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin in seventh.
With Carlos Sainz back in action post-appendectomy and two local drivers on the grid, the question remains whether anyone can challenge Red Bull’s dominance in Australia.
Sainz, returning from surgery, clinched eighth, narrowly behind his teammate Leclerc. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished ninth, reporting potential floor damage after an encounter with the kerbs at Turn 10.
Among other incidents during the session, Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, experienced a sudden loss of control, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas spun out, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin ventured off-track through the gravel at the high-speed Turn 9/10 chicane.
Australian GP FP1 Results
2024 Australian Grand Prix, 22 March 2024
Seen in:
