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The first day of the 2024 F1 Australian GP ended with Charles Leclerc on top of the standings. In what is a rare sight these days as Max Verstappen continues to sweep every session, the Ferrari looked impressive on track.
Red Bull was still not too far behind despite Max Verstappen damaging the car in the first free practice which cost the team some time in FP2. Having said that, the driver was quite content with the car's performance and his chances for the rest of the weekend.
With Free Practice Friday in the rearview mirror, let's take a look at what we can expect from the qualifying on Saturday.
#1 Charles Leclerc secures pole position for the F1 Australian GP
We're going optimistic this time around (before Red Bull shatters our hopes) as Ferrari looks brilliantly poised on the track in Albert Park. Although Red Bull has had a bit of a stutter, the car should still be thereabout when we get to the business end of the weekend.
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We are backing Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen to be the drivers at the forefront of qualifying, battling it out for pole position. And in that scenario, we're going with the Ferrari driver clinching his first pole position of the year.
#2 Sergio Perez doesn't make it to top 5
This one is a long shot because Red Bull does appear to have a good car at Albert Park and a decent buffer behind it. Having said that, the F1 Australian GP has not been the best hunting ground for the Mexican, and his one-lap pace did not look as impressive in FP2, which could be a concern.
With Carlos Sainz finding his groove by the end of the session and McLaren expected to be closer, Sergio Perez needs a strong run to cement his place in the top 5 for the F1 Australian GP. We're predicting that Sergio will struggle to do that and therefore may qualify outside of the top 5 for the race.
#3 RB gets one car in Q3
RB is finally starting to show the speed it had in the pre-season test, and it might be coming in at the right time. Yuki Tsunoda finished the FP2 in P10, being the only driver outside of the top 5 teams to accomplish that. The car does look more balanced on the track, and with Haas struggling due to the windy conditions, RB could have a chance to sneak into Q3.
Yuki Tsunoda accomplished this in Jeddah as well and we're backing the Japanese driver to get this done this weekend.
#4 Lewis Hamilton qualifies below the top 8
This one might not please Lewis Hamilton fans, but it does appear that there's merit to it. Mercedes might just be the 5th fastest car this weekend, and if that is the case, then qualifying is going to be a struggle.
Lewis has not had the best of form in qualifying in the last few events, and on a track like Albert Park, qualifying is important. Looking at where the two drivers were comparatively on their flying laps, Lewis trailed George quite a bit. We predict the same to continue in the F1 Australian GP qualifying, with Lewis qualifying outside of the top 8 for the race.
#5 Fernando Alonso qualifies inside the top 5
Fernando Alonso has an axe to grind when it comes to the F1 Australian GP. The driver was on a stunner of a lap two years ago until the car broke down in qualifying. The driver has more or less always been a presence at the front of the grid at Albert Park whenever he's had the car under him.
So it was a surprise to see Lance Stroll stringing together laps that were quicker than Alonso's in FP2. Aston Martin appears to be a strong car in qualifying, and if the Spaniard feels there is potential to be exploited from the car, he's going to push for it. We're backing the Spaniard for another top 5 result in the F1 Australian GP qualifying.
