F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Australian Grand Prix?

Henry Valantine
Max Verstappen in Australian Grand Prix qualifying. F1 starting grid

Max Verstappen earned pole position in dominant fashion for the Australian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen beat Carlos Sainz to pole position for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday, the Red Bull driver taking his third P1 grid slot on the trot to start the season.

Logan Sargeant sat out the session entirely as his chassis was given to Alex Albon by Williams, after Albon’s practice crash that saw his car too damaged to continue the weekend and no spare available from his team.

Max Verstappen takes Australian Grand Prix pole

Q1 saw only four cars eliminated as there are just 19 cars taking the start on Sunday, and Daniel Ricciardo was the first of the Aussies out of action after seeing his best Q1 effort deleted for exceeding track limits at the exit of Turn 4 – with his best lap having been comfortably good enough for Q2.

Joining the RB driver in exiting qualifying was Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Zhou Guanyu, with Kevin Magnussen and Esteban Ocon making it through to Q2 – Ocon the first Alpine driver to make it out of Q1 this season.

But the big shock of the session came at the end of Q2, when a superlative lap from Yuki Tsunoda put Lewis Hamilton into the drop zone come the end of the session, leaving the seven-time World Champion 11th on the provisional grid.

With Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Esteban Ocon joining Hamilton in dropping out and a tight fight between Red Bull and Ferrari at the front, it was set up for a tight battle in Q3.

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Verstappen laid down the gauntlet by going almost three tenths faster than Sainz on his first flying lap in Q3 at Albert Park, Sainz a tenth faster than Charles Leclerc and in turn just a few hundredths quicker than Sergio Perez, but it was an open fight for pole heading into the final runs.

Verstappen added to his advantage on his final lap, dipping into the 1:15s for his effort which proved to be too much for all his rivals – though a front row for Sainz just a fortnight after appendicitis surgery will count as an excellent effort.

Perez had qualified third, but a grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in Q1 promoted Lando Norris, Leclerc and Oscar Piastri up a place each, leaving the second Red Bull down in P6 on the grid.

F1 starting grid: 2024 Australian Grand Prix

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

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