In the qualifying session of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen secured pole position with a time of 1 minute 15.915 seconds. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished second, 0.270 seconds behind, while Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez took third place. Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu, unfortunately, suffered front wing damage during Q1 and ended up in 19th position. The drivers from fourth to tenth were Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Stroll, and Alonso.
In Q1, the initial flying laps showed minimal differences among the drivers, leading many to push for a final fast lap to secure a spot in Q2.
In the closing stages of Q1, Zhou Guanyu’s car sustained damage to the front wing after a bumpy entry into Turn 10, resulting in his elimination. The five drivers eliminated in Q1 were Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Ricciardo, and Zhou Guanyu.
In the first flying lap of Q2, Sainz from Scuderia Ferrari set a new fastest lap of 1 minute 16.189 seconds, surpassing Verstappen’s previous best, with McLaren’s Piastri temporarily in third place.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team had a challenging session, with Hamilton being knocked out early in Q2, replaced by AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. The five drivers eliminated in Q2 were Hamilton, Albon, Bottas, Magnussen, and Ocon.
In the first flying lap of Q3, Verstappen of Red Bull Racing clocked a fastest lap of 1 minute 16.048 seconds, leaving both Ferraris trailing behind.
During the final flying lap of Q3, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari encountered stability issues with his car. He reported to the team that he was experiencing understeer and oversteer simultaneously, failing to improve his time in the last attempt.