F1 Australian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen on pole ahead of Sainz, as car damage relegates China’s Zhou Guanyu to last
- World champion ‘very satisfied’ with third straight pole of the season, Carlos Sainz second for Ferrari
- Zhou damages front wing after hitting high curb and will start from 19th on the grid
A “very satisfied” three-time world champion Max Verstappen clinched a third straight pole of the season on Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix as the flying Dutchman targets a record 10th consecutive win.
Under hazy skies at Albert Park, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, back in the car barely two weeks after appendicitis surgery, came second in tense qualifying and will keep the Red Bull ace company on the front row.
Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull will start third alongside Lando Norris, who scored a surprise fourth in his McLaren.
“Very happy with that because so far this weekend it has been a bit tough to find a good balance in the car,” said Verstappen, who is looking to repeat his feat from last year when he started first and won a chaotic race in Melbourne.
“Obviously things can improve, but overall very satisfied with the performance.”
At the other end of the scale, there was more misery for China’s Zhou Guanyu, who had been trending nicely until he damaged his front wing exiting the tenth turn of the Melbourne circuit and was left stranded in last place on the grid.