SUMMARY
- Lando Norris tops FP1, Charles Leclerc dominates FP2, edging out Max Verstappen by a narrow margin.
- Carlos Sainz returns to the grid for the Australian GP, finishing third after missing the Saudi race.
As the Australian Grand Prix kicked off to mark the third race in the F1 2024 season, McLaren driver Lando Norris clocked the fastest lap. Meanwhile, in FP2, Charles Leclerc dominated with a swift time of 1m 17.277s. The British-Belgian driver overcame his struggles after the initial races of the season and surpassed the reigning champion Max Verstappen by a mere 0.018 seconds.
However, after FP2, Norris concluded the day in ninth position. Leclerc managed to outpace Verstappen by a notable margin of 0.381 seconds on a single lap. The Dutchman, despite missing the initial 20 minutes due to adjustments on his RB20 after an off-track incident, eventually set his best time later in the session. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz returned to the grid after missing out on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He finished third in the race.
Williams will only have one car at the #AustralianGP this weekend after this Alex Albon crash caused irreparable damage to his chassis, and the team do not have a replacement with them.pic.twitter.com/rqTuoMiloD
— Dexerto Sports (@DexertoFC) March 22, 2024
At the conclusion of the Jeddah race, it was determined that Sainz would return to the grid while Oliver Bearman would return to Formula 2. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll made an impactful comeback by landing the fourth and the fifth spots. On the other hand, it was yet another disappointing drive for Mercedes as George Russell finished sixth while Lewis Hamilton placed eighteenth.
Qualifying timings at the Australian GP
The Albert Park Circuit is all set for the thrilling qualifying session after a brief hiatus. Unlike the previous two races, the Australian GP sticks to the traditional Sunday schedule for the main event. The F1 Australian Grand Prix spans from Friday, March 22 to March 24.
Tune in to watch the qualifying session of the much-anticipated race in Australia in the following timings:
UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
Day (Saturday) | March 23 | March 23 | March 23 | March 23 | March 23 |
Time | 5:00 A.M. GMT | 1:00 A.M. ET | 1:00 A.M. ET | 4:00 P.M. AEDT | 10:30 A.M. IST |
The iconic Albert Park Circuit has been the race venue since 1996, with the exception of 2020 and 2021.
Catch the 2024 F1 Australian Grand Prix live
To witness every moment of the race, turn to these channels to watch the Australian race live!
United Kingdom:
NOW TV, Sky Go app
United States of America:
ESPN+, Fubo, Hulu, Sling TV, YouTube TV
Canada:
TSN Direct
Australia:
Foxtel Go, Kayo Sports, 10 Play
India:
FanCode, F1 TV Pro
The drama is brewing in and around the paddock as Alex Albon will take over teammate Logan Sargeant’s chassis after a brutal crash in FP1. With only two chassis available in Melbourne this weekend, Williams made the unconventional decision to let Albon race instead of Sargeant. As far as history goes, Verstappen won the Australian GP in the 2023 season.
FP2 Classification (60/60 mins)
Here’s how we end our first day on track at Albert Park 📸#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/JK0gQNWZVJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 22, 2024
The race was packed with excitement, featuring several late stoppages and a significant crash during the restart, resulting in only 12 drivers crossing the finish line. This year F1 is trying to emulate similar excitement minus the crashes.