Max Verstappen secures Australian Grand Prix pole position ahead of Mercedes, Fernando Alonso fourth

Max Verstappen unstoppable. The Dutch driver of Red Bull was not in the lace during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, Saturday, April 1. Just before the rain fell on the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, he thus won pole position, his 22nd in his career, for Sunday, ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

The double world champion thus signs his second pole of the season after that won in Bahrain during the inaugural GP. It is above all a good day for Red Bull, since the team signs its first pole in Australia for ten years, and continues its momentum to leave only crumbs to the competition since the start of the season. Last year, in Melbourne, Charles Leclerc had stolen the best time from Max Verstappen.

Alonso confirms, the French in withdrawal

“The last run was very good. It was very difficult all weekend to get the tires in the right operating window, but I got there in Q3. (…) Hopefully tomorrow we “We’ll have a good car in the race again. We’ll try to hold those tyres, it will be interesting. I was on the podium once, but I hope to finally win tomorrow.” reacted Max Verstappen after qualifying. For his part, George Russell is “almost disappointed not to have pole position because we have the feeling that things can change very quickly. But the car was great, we showed that we had potential”.

The Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) confirms his excellent start to the season and will start in the second row (4th). Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Pierre Gasly (Alpine-Renault) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine-Renault) will start from 7th, 9th and 11th positions respectively.