Charles Leclerc led the way in a much smoother FP2 session in F1 Australian GP ahead of McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.
After a hectic first session, the FP2 session at Albert Park was much smoother in F1 Australian GP where Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace with a 1m16.439s lap ahead of McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the Top 3, after improvement from the Australian on his second attempt.
Both Leclerc and Norris had traffic moment early in the session, but were unfazed by it. The Monegasque’s teammate Lewis Hamilton had a much better run than FP1 in fifth. The Brit complained of understeer pretty much, as he struggled with lack of confidence in the car.
Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda made the most of the opportunity as the top Red Bull driver in fourth, as teammate Isack Hadjar backed him in sixth. Both of them were quicker than Max Verstappen, who could only manage seventh on his second attempt after being forced to abort the first one.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg jumped up to eighth despite Turn 6 moment early on which forced a floor check. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll chipped in, in the Top 10 in ninth, which was rounded out by Mercedes’ George Russell in 10th. The Brit had a late moment at Turn 13 to take the run-off.
Williams pair of Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon slotted in 11th and 12th, where they set the exact time of 1m17.302s. The Spaniard, though, had his best time on the medium compound after he failed to improve on the soft tyre run, which was completed by the Thai.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was 13th from Alpine pair of Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly, were the Frenchman had a similar moment at Turn 6 on the gravel as Hulkenberg. Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli was only 16th, with Red Bull’s Liam Lawson only 17th.
The Kiwi had an early soft tyre run which was not clean, as he led Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Haas’ Esteban Ocon. His teammate Oliver Bearman did not manage to complete any lap due to FP1 incident, despite the effort from the mechanics to repair the car.
The team managed to repair it right at the fag end of the FP2 session, where they put Bearman in the car, but did not have enough time to venture out. The field was bunched up such that the Top 14 ended up within a second of each other.
Here’s how FP1 in F1 Australian GP panned out
