Red Bull’s Max Verstappen sets track record, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri struggles at Australian GP
Red Bull’s hot start continues as world champion Max Verstappen sets a record, but McLaren and Australian Oscar Piastri continue to battle at the Australian Grand Prix.
- Red Bull are the favorites at Albert Park
- Verstappen’s record came in wet conditions
- Piastri continues to fight at McLaren
Reigning Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen has set a practice record to confirm his favoritism for the Formula One Australian Grand Prix.
Verstappen posted a blistering fastest lap of one minute 17.565 seconds in Saturday’s third and final practice session at the Albert Park circuit.
The Dutchman’s time dwarfs Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc’s previous benchmark of 1:17.868, set when he took pole position in qualifying last year.
Australian Oscar Piastri (1:18.713) was 14th fastest in the final practice before qualifying begins at 4pm AEDT.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (1:17.727) was second fastest with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon (1:17.938) the next best.
Reigning world champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen broke the track record at Albert Park in wet conditions.
Verstappen and the Red Bull team are the heavy favorites at the Australian Grand Prix to be held in Melbourne on Sunday.
Verstappen won the season-opening Grand Prix in Bahrain ahead of teammate Sergio Pérez and finished second to Pérez at the next race in Saudi Arabia.
But despite Red Bull’s dominating one-two finishes, team principal Christian Horner is sounding a warning in Melbourne.
“It’s a fantastic starting point for the season… but we are aware that it’s a very long season, there are still 21 races to go,” Horner said.
“And we are aware that there will be big updates from others in the coming weeks as we return to Europe.
“So there’s still a lot to do and a very long way to go… I’ve always said it’s going to take three or four races to get a real pattern on what the book really is for the season.”
Oscar Piastri greets fans on Melbourne Walk before the final practice session at Albert Park
The Melbourne-born Piastri made his hometown debut on Friday and was 12th fastest of the 20 drivers in opening practice.
On Saturday, the 21-year-old completed 21 laps in a second wet session.
But his McLaren teammate Lando Norris struggled, posting the slowest time of any driver, 1:19.146, and completing just a dozen laps, the fewest of any car in the practice session.