Driver Comments after Qualifying in Australia

Looks like Mercedes came out of the winter break as fastest team again.
Hamilton scored his 6th pole in a row at Albert Park today.

It was his 84th pole position of his F1 career and is now 16 poles clear of Michael Schumacher's earlier record. He also needs 16 poles to get to the amazing amount of 100 pole positions. It looks like it's not a matter of "if" but of "when" will he do it.

Before this weekend the whole world was thinking that Scuderia Ferrari would be the quickest team for the first race in Australia. Mercedes seemed to have done a better job on their homework after winter testing and developed their car to a winner in only 2 weeks time.

Another amazing performance was done by the youngest ever British Formula 1 driver Lando Norris. The 19 year old teenager from Bristol qualified 8th for his maiden grand prix in Australia in the McLaren MCL34. Last year Fernando Alonso qualified 10th in Melbourne.

In Q1, exactly one second separated P1 and elimination. The qualifying fight has rarely been closer. The lap record was already broken in Q2 and then lowered again in Q3, despite the cars being heavier. Ferrari was the only team to run the medium at the beginning of qualifying.

Pierre Gasly will start 17th after being eliminated in Q1 and could be able to use strategy to make his way up the field tomorrow. The new rule that awards a point for fastest lap (for those finishing in the top 10) might push some drivers towards a two-stopper, under the right circumstances.

A lot of perspectives will be changed for the drivers and teams after the first qualifying session on Albert Park. This what the drivers said about their experience after qualifying for the first time in 2019:

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton (P1 - 1:21.164)

Lewis Hamilton

"I feel so fortunate to be in the position I’m in today. We had no idea that we’d have this gap to the others – we thought we were behind, we thought it was going to be a push, so we gave it absolutely everything and more to arrive here with the best possible package and delivery.

Valtteri and I have been pushing the car to its absolute limits. We haven’t massively changed the car; it’s almost the same set-up we had in Barcelona, so this gap was really surprising to see. This is the first time we’ve unleashed the full potential of the car and I’m so happy to have a car that I can fight with. This is a really great start to the new season and it puts us in a good position for the fight tomorrow."

Valtteri Bottas (P2 - 1:20.598)

Valtteri Bottas

"I really enjoyed driving today, I was in a good flow and usually when you enjoy driving it shows on the time sheets as well. My first lap in Q3 was pretty good and I wanted to improve in my second lap, but I was stuck in traffic on my out lap, so my tyres were just a bit too cold at the start of the lap. Lewis did put in a fantastic lap, but I think without the traffic it would have been a close fight for pole today.

We didn’t expect to be this strong – we’re happy, but frankly quite surprised to see that gap. We came here, not knowing where we’d be and actually thought we’d be a bit behind Ferrari. But we shouldn’t underestimate them; they looked very strong in winter testing and have a quick car, even if they struggled today. At the same time our team has done a really good job between Barcelona and here, constantly improving the car. Today was good fun, we both got some nice laps in, so let’s hope we will have a good Sunday as well. It’s a decent run into Turn 1, so hopefully I can get a good start, build a gap to the cars behind and have a good fight with Lewis."

Scuderia Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel (P3 - 1:21.190)

Sebastian Vettel

“Starting tomorrow’s race from third is not too bad and the car is ok, even if it’s not exactly how we would like it and we are not as fast as we wanted to be. But we’ll start from there and see what we can bring home. This track is unique and conditions are different to what we experienced in testing.

We have definitely improved the car overnight, but obviously not enough to be in front of everyone. In tomorrow’s race we’ll have time to understand the car further. We will race as hard as we can and see where that takes us. After all, we are just 16 metres behind pole position”.

Charles Leclerc (P5 - 1:21.442)

Charles Leclerc

“I can’t say I’m happy with this qualifying result. After a good Q1 and a very good Q2, in Q3, especially on my second run, I made a few too many mistakes, especially in the first sector and I was unable to improve. I will try to learn from this and to prepare as well as possible for the race.

As for the gap to our main competitors, I have to admit that maybe we had expected it to be smaller, even if this is an unusual track which often throws up a different order to what we can see on a more traditional track. On our side, I think there is still room to work on the car and the race is tomorrow and will be pretty long, so I am still aiming for a podium. I will definitely have to get a perfect start, because overtaking is far from easy here.”

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen (P4 - 1:21.320)

Max Verstappen

“I am pretty happy with the way qualifying went. After some of the difficulties we’ve had this weekend, especially this morning, I was a bit worried but the guys here and back at the factory have been working really well together to find a good set-up and I think we can be pleased with the second row. It was really tight in Q1 and on a street circuit like this you really have to nail the first run. I was lucky to have that second lap on the board where I improved but it was really tight, especially as we only used one set of tyres, unlike many others.

I definitely felt the extra performance coming from the qualifying mode which is also very pleasing. It has been tricky finding a good balance and we are of course not where we want to be in terms of the gap, but we also have to be realistic and happy with this grid position. Fourth is better than we expected going into qualifying. It’s difficult to say where we will be tomorrow and I didn’t get to do a full long run on Friday, but it looks like the tyres are holding on quite well, so as long as we get a clean start, we will find out what we can really do.”

Pierre Gasly (P17 - 1:23.020)

Pierre Gasly

“I had a bit of traffic in Turn 1 but apart from that, I was quite happy with my Q1 lap. We went for one run whilst most others went for two and it cost us. I think we’ve been quite optimistic as we didn’t expect such track evolution and the pack to be so close. We’re not exactly where we’d like to be but session after session we’re going in the right direction.

There were not many overtakes at last year’s race so starting from where we are, it’s going to be difficult but we will of course try and make it into the points. It’s a tough day today but we need to stay positive. For me, tomorrow will be all about gaining experience in the car and recovering positions.”

Rich Energy Haas F1 Team

Romain Grosjean (P6 - 1:21.826)

Romain Grosjean

“P6 on the grid, that’s good. It’s been a good day, especially with Kevin (Magnussen) up there too. The car’s been performing well, on a track that we’ve always been competitive at, so that’s good. It’s the first time we’ve really run the full qualifying set-up, so that’s been interesting for us to discover a bit more. The car worked well, and we’re pretty much where we thought we were.

There are maybe some surprises in the pecking order, but I’m very happy with our day. I think our race pace looks as good as we did in qualifying. We’ll keep pushing, keep delivering, and hopefully we’ll score some strong points to start the year.”

Kevin Magnussen (P7 - 1:22.099)

Kevin Magnussen

“I didn’t quite have the perfect qualifying session on my side, I made a mistake on my first tire in Q1, which meant I had to use another set, leaving me with only one new set for Q3. That’s my bad, but fortunately the car was very good.

I’m very proud of the team with what they’ve done to put such a good car on track again this year. They did a great job incorporating the new rule changes to allow us to maintain a competitive car. We’re not even that far from the guys at the front, we’re not fighting them, but we’re not too far. Hopefully we can build on this tomorrow and score some good points.”

McLaren F1 Team

Lando Norris (P8 - 1:22.304)

Lando Norris

“I loved it but I’m not going to get carried away! I was very nervous at the start of the session with it being my first-ever F1 quali and never having been here before. But I managed to put the laps together today – the team were fantastic.

“Our aim was to get into Q2 but it turned out to be even better, and it’s a great confidence boost for everyone. It’s going to be a long, tough race and that’s what I must concentrate on now. Hopefully I can sleep okay.”

Carlos Sainz (P18 - 1:23.084)

Carlos Sainz

“I had unbelievable bad luck out there today. I was on a very good lap that would have got us into the top 10. Then I came across the Williams of Robert Kubica with a puncture in the last sector in the middle of the track at Turn 14, but I couldn’t avoid him and I dropped four tenths. It is what it is – I was in the wrong place at the wrong time – so it’s a shame.

“We definitely had the pace to get through into Q2. We had a margin to be even stronger in Q2, but it was all out of our control. Hopefully tomorrow our pace will be good for the race, and it’s positive to see the potential the car showed today. We know that qualifying is important here as it’s a difficult track to pass on, so P18 is a disappointing result. But, we need to stay positive and let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

Alfa Romeo Racing

Kimi Raikkonen (P9 - 1:22.966)

Kimi Raikkonen

“Am I happy? Yes and no. I’m a bit disappointed, as I think there is more in the car and we could have ended further up, but I never really put a lap together.

Now let’s get through the first two corners of the race without incidents and then take it from there.”

Antonio Giovinazzi (P14 - 1:22.431)

Antonio Giovinazzi

“The qualifying was ok. I put together quite a good lap in Q1. In Q2, the warm-up lap in my last run did not go as well.

A small mistake costs you quite a bit of time in such a tight midfield. We have a good car and race pace and will have the chance to fight for points in the race tomorrow. The strategy will be important as it is quite challenging to overtake on this circuit. I will do my best to have a positive result for the team.”

SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team

Sergio Pérez (P10 - 1:22.781)

Sergio Pérez

“Making the top ten is a great way to start the season. We did a great job throughout qualifying and I was really pleased with my lap in Q2. The key today was to avoid mistakes and be consistent. It will be interesting to see where we stand in the race but it’s never easy to overtake on this track so starting in the top ten is important.

Hopefully we can hold position and make up some ground at the start. As I always say, it doesn’t matter where you start the season, but where you finish. There is great potential in this car and I’m confident we can keep improving as the year goes on.”

Lance Stroll (P16 - 1:23.017)

Lance Stroll

“My best lap today was affected by traffic. I came across Grosjean, who was on an out lap, at turn nine and it definitely cost me a few tenths. It’s a real shame because I really felt good with the car today and we had the speed to progress to at least Q2.

All I can do now is try and make up some positions at the start and see how things play out in the race. I think we look quite competitive with our race pace so we can still come away with a good result.”

Renault F1 Team

Nico Hulkenberg (P11 - 1:22.562)

Nico Hulkenberg

“Making Q3 was definitely possible today. It’s unfortunate that we had a small problem, which cost us a shot at the top ten. I lost a bit of time on my first lap in Q2 through traffic and a lock-up, but we showed the pace was there for a strong result.

We’re competitive. We know it’s close and small margins make a big difference. We’re not in bad shape ahead of tomorrow and a strong race from eleventh on the grid is possible. The car felt good with long-run pace on Friday and I’ve felt comfortable in the car all weekend. We have every chance to pick up points tomorrow.”

Daniel Ricciardo (P12 - 1:22.570)

Daniel Ricciardo

“I’m clearly disappointed not to make Q3, especially as it was just half a tenth and that’s something I can find in myself – I lost a bit of time in the first sector on the last run. We had the potential to make Q3 so when you don’t do the perfect lap, it’s frustrating.

As expected the midfield is really close but I’m feeling optimistic for a strong result tomorrow. I always want to do well at home, but we have to keep a cool head, have a good start and then attack when necessary.”

Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda

Alexander Albon (P13 - 1:22.636)

Alexander Albon

My Qualifying started off okay. I did my first lap and when I got told of the lap times I saw how quick it is around here. I hooked it up on the second of the Q1 laps and fell into the rhythm – it took me all the way until Qualifying to get there, but once you get the feel you gain confidence, because the grip is there as the track evolution is huge. I’m a bit gutted to miss out on Q3, we knew it was going to be close in winter testing, but it’s so tight in the midfield that you can’t afford to make any mistake!

I’m happy with the lap I did, but on the other side a tenth or a tenth and a half quicker and I would have been in Q3! This track isn’t easy for overtaking, but maybe the new regulations will come into play and give us a chance to move up the field. Our long runs look pretty good – we’re close to the points so that’s the goal for tomorrow. I’ll be a bit nervous and I’m not sure if I’ll sleep too well tonight! I’m really looking forward to my first race in F1 and I’ll try to keep my nose clean and bring home a good result.”

Daniil Kvyat (P15 -  1:22.774)

Daniil Kvyat

“I’m happy with how the weekend went until Qualifying. It was perfect until Q2 where things got a bit scrappy. I had a bit of traffic on the last lap when Sebastian went off the track. I’m not at all blaming him but I lost time there. We need to remain optimistic because we still have to extract everything from the car, otherwise the timesheets would surely be different.

I think my lap from Q1 would have been enough for Q3, but if you do it once you need to be able to do it twice, so we will work to understand where it went a bit wrong. It’s really nice to be back pushing the car to the limit, I’ve enjoyed every lap this weekend – it’s been cool! I think we can try to recover a few positions tomorrow as our long runs didn’t look too bad and with good tyre management and strategy we’ll see where it will get us!”

ROKiT Williams Racing

George Russel (P19 - 1:24.360)

George Russell

“It felt like a really good lap, driving round a mega track at full beans. I got in three tidy laps and I am happy with my own performance but obviously we are a team and we want to push for more.

The guys around me, the engineers, and myself, we did a really great job to get everything out of the package we’ve got. All I can do is drive as fast as I can, and I felt like I did that.”

Robert Kubica (P20 - 1:26.067)

Robert Kubica

“It wasn’t the best start of the season especially because I am last on the grid. I made a mistake on the last run when I had a good feeling and could drive the car better. I apologise for that, but that is how it is.

It has been a difficult situation, but I am back on the Formula One grid and I would like to thank everyone that has made it possible, as well as the team.”

See Lap times 1st practice 2019 Australian F1 GP
See Lap times 2nd practice 2019 Australian F1 GP
See Lap times 3rd practice 2019 Australian F1 GP
See Qualifying result 2019 Australian F1 GP
See Start grid 2019 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

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