Red Bull driver and two-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will start from pole position in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday after securing the top spot in qualifying on Saturday. Mercedes driver George Russell will join Verstappen in the front row for tomorrow's race at Albert Park in Melbourne after posting the second-fastest lap, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton placed third.
Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull, will start at the back of the grid after sliding off the track and into the gravel during the first qualifying session. Verstappen saved his best for last, clocking the fastest lap around the lake in 1 minute and 16.732 seconds, finishing 0.20 seconds ahead of Russell. He commented, "I think the last lap was really good. Everything was good in the third practice." Hamilton expressed his delight that the Mercedes team had narrowed the gap in speed with Red Bull, which has won the first two races of the season in the Middle East.
