Australian Grand Prix: Leclerc dominates practice sessions
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
In a commanding performance at the season-opening Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix on Friday, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc outshined his new teammate, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, by setting the fastest time during the second free practice.
Leclerc clocked a blistering 1:16.439 around Melbourne's Albert Park circuit on soft tires, leaving McLaren's Oscar Piastri trailing by 0.124 seconds. Piastri narrowly nudged his teammate Lando Norris into third place.
Hamilton showed marked improvement from his 12th position in the first free practice (FP1), securing the fifth spot in FP2. However, he was still more than four-tenths of a second adrift of Leclerc’s leading pace.
Yuki Tsunoda, driving for the rebadged Racing Bulls after losing a potential Red Bull seat to New Zealander Liam Lawson, landed an impressive fourth place in FP2. Tsunoda’s rookie teammate, Isack Hadjar, also showed promise by finishing sixth.
Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull only managed the seventh fastest lap, while Mercedes' George Russell ended the session in 10th position, reporting understeer at high speeds and excessive heat.
There was no shortage of drama as six drivers began their championship seasons. Haas' Briton rookie Oliver Bearman missed FP2 after a heavy crash early in the day during FP1. Bearman lost control exiting turn six, causing extensive damage to his car and a red flag scenario. Fortunately, Bearman was unhurt.
Another red flag in FP1 was caused by debris from an unnamed car, halting the session temporarily.
Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, who had strong showings in FP1 (second and sixth, respectively), fell back to 11th and 12th in FP2.
Russell's FP1 troubles included a spin-off that narrowly avoided a front-on collision with the wall. He ended the session seventh quickest but dropped to 16th in FP2. His rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli placed 14th in FP1 and then slipped to 16th in the subsequent session.
Alpine's newcomer Jack Doohan and Red Bull’s new recruit Liam Lawson both required significant repairs after going off track in FP1. Lawson, tasked with partnering Verstappen, experienced a rough introduction by brushing the wall at turn nine shortly after the session began. Despite the setback, he managed to continue and posted only the 16th quickest lap before improving slightly in FP2.
The season opener at Albert Park is already brimming with excitement and unpredictability, setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling season of Formula 1 racing.
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