Max third in Melbourne FP1

Published on 23 March 2018 by Stefan Meens

Max Verstappen opened his 2018 Formula 1 season with a third time in the first free practice session of the Australian Grand Prix. The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver was at the front throughout the session, in which he completed 26 laps. 

Mercedes dominated FP1, with Lewis Hamilton half a second faster than his team mate Valtteri Bottas. Max' 1:24.771 was seven tenths shy of the World Champions's chart topping effort. 

The sun is out during the opening session on the Albert Park Street circuit, despite predictions of potential rain later on the Grand Prix weekend. 

Sebastian Vettel is the first driver on track, with Max following the Ferrari driver's example. After the usual installation laps,

Sergey Sirotkin, the Williams rookie, is the first driver to set a lap. Max' first timed efforts propel him to the top of the standings. However, after his first stint, it is Hamilton who sets the pace.

Around the halfway point, the track is quiet but with half an hour to go, most drivers head back out. Max bolts on the super-soft Pirellis and is on a mission to improve his lap time. It results in a 1:24.771, his fastest lap of the morning.  

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is once again the driver with the most bad luck. In the first hour, the Spaniard's McLaren only manages an installation lap. 

In the final ten minutes of the sessions, Max heads out on the super-soft tyres to test the race pace of the RB14. It means the Dutchman is not out to improve on his fastest lap time set earlier in the session, meaning he finishes the session in third behind the two Mercedes. 

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Results first free practice Australia: