The 2024 Australian Grand Prix Thread

[cmlean]

This is the place to discuss everything related to the 3rd round of the 2024 season taking place in Australia between the 22nd and 24th of March.

The event timetable for the Australian Grand Prix.

Friday
1st Practice 12:30 local time - 01:30 GMT
2nd Practice 16:00 local time - 05:00 GMT

Saturday
Practice 12:30 local time - 01:30 GMT
Qualifying 16:00 local time - 05:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 15:00 local time - 04:00 GMT

[cmlean]

FP1 Results

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Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:18.564	Lando Norris	  McLaren
2	1:18.582	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:18.597	George Russell	  Mercedes
4	1:18.599	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
5	1:18.621	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
6	1:18.642	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
7	1:18.667	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
8	1:18.686	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
9	1:18.771	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
10	1:18.918	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren
11	1:19.274	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
12	1:19.443	Alexander Albon	  Williams
13	1:19.489	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
14	1:19.519	Logan Sargeant	  Williams
15	1:19.561	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
16	1:19.604	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
17	1:19.622	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine
18	1:19.716	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
19	1:19.989	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber
20	1:20.014	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber

[cmlean]

Alex Albon had a massive crash coming through the turn 7 and 8 complex damaging all four corners of his Williams.
There doesn't appear to be a spare chassis so we will see how they go with the repairs. They will miss the second session.

[cmlean]

FP2 Results

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Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:17.277	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
2	1:17.658	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:17.707	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
4	1:17.822	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
5	1:17.912	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
6	1:17.951	George Russell	  Mercedes
7	1:18.077	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren
8	1:18.090	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
9	1:18.155	Lando Norris	  McLaren
10	1:18.188	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
11	1:18.421	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber
12	1:18.534	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
13	1:18.578	Logan Sargeant	  Williams
14	1:18.585	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber
15	1:18.691	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine
16	1:18.702	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
17	1:18.705	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
18	1:18.834	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
19	1:19.275	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas

[cmlean]

Williams made the decision to withdraw Logan Sargeant from the Australian Grand Prix. His chassis will now be used by Alex Albon for the remainder of this event. The damaged chassis has been flown back to England to be repaired for the Japanese Grand Prix. It looks like they will not have a spare chassis at that event.

[cmlean]

FP3 Results

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Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:16.714	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
2	1:16.734	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
3	1:16.791	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
4	1:16.806	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
5	1:16.886	George Russell	  Mercedes
6	1:16.997	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
7	1:17.014	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
8	1:17.087	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren
9	1:17.341	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
10	1:17.490	Lando Norris	  McLaren
11	1:17.673	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
12	1:17.752	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber
13	1:17.759	Alexander Albon	  Williams
14	1:17.876	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber
15	1:17.920	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
16	1:17.941	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
17	1:17.961	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
18	1:17.963	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
19	1:18.390	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine

[cmlean]

Qualifying

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Pos	Time		Driver		  Team
1	1:15.915	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing
2	1:16.185	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
3	1:16.274	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
4	1:16.315	Lando Norris	  McLaren
5	1:16.435	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
6	1:16.572	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren
7	1:16.724	George Russell	  Mercedes
8	1:16.788	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
9	1:17.072	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
10	1:17.552	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
__________________________________________________________
11	1:16.960	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
12	1:17.167	Alexander Albon	  Williams
13	1:17.340	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber
14	1:17.427	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
15	1:17.697	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
__________________________________________________________
16	1:17.976	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
17	1:17.982	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine
18	1:18.085	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
19	1:18.188	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber

[cmlean]

Q1: Daniel Ricciardo thought he had progressed through to Q2 only to have his fastest lap time deleted for exceeding track limits. He would have been in the low teens with all lower positions already decided.
Q2: Biggest casualty would have to be Lewis Hamilton eliminated. Yuki Tsunoda and then Lance Stroll both progressed through in the final moments of the session with fantastic laps. Alex Albon chose not to run at the end saving a set of new soft tyres for the race.
Q3: Max Verstappen did what he does best by qualifying on pole. Carlos Sainz did his future no harm by qualifying second and Sergio Perez qualified in 3rd.

[cmlean]

Race

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Pos	Driver		  Team
1	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
2	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
3	Lando Norris	  McLaren
4	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren 
5	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
6	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
7	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
8	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
9	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
10	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
11	Alexander Albon	  Williams
12	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
13	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine
14	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber
15	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber
16	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
DNF	George Russell	  Mercedes
DNF	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
DNF	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen had a right rear brake issue that exploded as he was entering the pits to retire.
Lewis Hamilton had a power failure that resulted in a virtual safety car as the officials removed his car from the circuit.
George Russell lost his Mercedes entering turn 8 hitting the barriers and the car suffered substantial damage. A virtual safety car was deployed and the race concluded with it in operation.

Next: Round of Japan '24
Date 5-7th April 2024

[cmlean]

Amended results post stewards enquiry

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Pos	Driver		  Team
1	Carlos Sainz	  Ferrari
2	Charles Leclerc	  Ferrari
3	Lando Norris	  McLaren
4	Oscar Piastri	  McLaren
5	Sergio Perez	  Red Bull Racing
6	Lance Stroll	  Aston Martin
7	Yuki Tsunoda	  RB
8	Fernando Alonso	  Aston Martin
9	Nico Hulkenberg	  Haas
10	Kevin Magnussen	  Haas
11	Alexander Albon	  Williams
12	Daniel Ricciardo  RB
13	Pierre Gasly	  Alpine
14	Valtteri Bottas	  Sauber
15	Zhou Guanyu	  Sauber
16	Esteban Ocon	  Alpine
17	George Russell	  Mercedes
DNF	Lewis Hamilton	  Mercedes
DNF	Max Verstappen	  Red Bull Racing

[cmlean]

Fernando Alonso received a drive through penalty post race which converted to a 20 second time penalty for dangerous driving.