Making it count in Melbourne

Putting behind hiccups endured at Melbourne track provides extra thrill to Ferrari’s Leclerc as he takes pole position

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed pole on Saturday for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of title rival Max Verstappen—and broke Lewis Hamilton’s stranglehold on the Melbourne grid. World champion Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez is on the second row after coming in third ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris at Albert Park.

Hamilton to start fifth

Mercedes’ Hamilton, who has been the pole-sitter eight times in Melbourne, including the last six in a row, will start an encouraging fifth. It is a second pole of the year for Monaco’s Leclerc after the season-opening race in Bahrain, where he went on to win. 

Max Verstappen

He knocked out his rivals with a flying lap at the death of one minute 17.868, fractionally ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen, who won in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. 

This was more evidence ahead of Sunday’s third race of the campaign that they are the two to beat this season. 

“It felt good, even more because it’s a track where I’ve always struggled in the past, in Q3 I managed to put everything together so it feels great, very happy,” said Leclerc, 24. “The car is nice to drive, everything is possible tomorrow. We need a good start.”

Verstappen had complained of oversteer and balance problems in the final practice ahead of qualifying and the Dutchman said he was still struggling despite being second-fastest.

I didn’t feel good: Max

“I didn’t really feel good in the car all weekend. I don’t think there’s been one lap where I’ve felt good in the car,” said Verstappen, also 24.

“We’ll try to analyse it. This weekend has been all over the place. Happy to be second, but as a team we want more.”  While Mercedes’ speed is improving, it still has problems with porpoising—bouncing too much at speed. But fifth was a major improvement for Hamilton, who only qualified 16th in Jeddah. 

His teammate George Russell was sixth on Saturday. “Compared to yesterday and to the last race, today was a good day for me,” said Britain’s seven-time world champion Hamilton. “I almost got P4, which would have been cool, but we’ll be fighting for that position tomorrow.” 

Both McLarens made the third part of qualifying for the first time this season with Daniel Ricciardo coming seventh. Esteban Ocon in an Alpine was eighth and Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari ninth.

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