The F1 cars are finally back out on track in Melbourne as practice for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix gets underway at Albert Park. Follow live updates below!
All Aussie eyes will be on the debut of hometown hero Oscar Piastri, with big questions over whether he can get his McLaren into the top 10 in Saturday’s qualifying as he did in Saudi Arabia.
But at the front it’s all about the Red Bulls – how close any of their competitors are to them, and whether Sergio Perez is a true title challenger for Max Verstappen.
Watch the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2023 Live and ad-break free in racing on Kayo Sports this Sunday April 2 3:00PM AEDT. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
AUSTRALIAN GP RACE CENTRE: Live timings, updates and video
Verstappen & Perez get a little weird | 02:09
12PM – AUSSIE THREATENS ALBERT PARK HISTORY WITH PRACTICE POLE
No local has ever even recorded a podium finish at the Australian Grand Prix – and while it’s unlikely in the Formula 1 race this weekend, we’ve got a big chance in Formula 2.
Jack Doohan, the son of motorsport great Mick, was clearly fastest in practice on Friday morning posting a 1:28.989 in his Invicta Virtuosi Racing machine, which was three tenths faster than anyone else in the field.
The gap between Doohan and second-placed Isack Hadjar was bigger than the gap between Hadjar and seventh-placed Ayumu Iwasa.
Doohan finished sixth in the F2 championship last season with two sprint race wins in Britain and Hungary plus a feature race win in Belgium.
He also sits sixth in the F2 championship through two rounds this year after a second-place finish in the Saudi Arabia feature race.
The Alpine reserve will be hopeful of taking advantage of the competition’s debut in the southern hemisphere with a home race win on Saturday (sprint race, 2:20pm) or Sunday (feature race, 11:35am).
Qualifying will be held late on Friday (from 5:30pm).
11:30AM – HAMILTON REVEALS BIG CONCERN WITH MERCEDES
Lewis Hamilton’s concerns with Mercedes’ W14 have continued to emerge, with the seven-time world champion declaring the team purposefully created a car which delivers one of “the worst feelings” possible.
While the team has gone back to the drawing board for their next car already, Hamilton and George Russell will have to deal with the flawed design through the rest of 2023.
For Hamilton, the decision to place the Mercedes drivers as far forward in the machine as possible is creating concerns.
“If you look at the past, I’ve always enjoyed an oversteering car,” he said on Thursday.
“I don’t know if people know, but we sit closer to the front wheels than all the other drivers. Our cockpit is too close to the front.
“When you’re driving, you feel like you’re sitting on the front wheels, which is one of the worst feelings to feel when you’re driving a car.
“What that does is it just really changes the attitude of the car and how you perceive its movement.
“It makes it harder to predict compared to when you’re further back and you’re sitting closer, more centre. It’s just something I really struggle with.”
Hamilton said had he known how bad it would feel in the car, he would’ve told the team to tweak their plans.
“I listen to the team and that was a direction that they said that we should go. Had I known the feeling that I would have in it, it wouldn’t have happened,” he said.
“It has to change for the future. 100%.”
FRIDAY SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES AEDT)
12:30pm – 1:30pm: Formula One Practice 1
2:00pm – 2:30pm: Formula 3 Qualifying
2:55pm – 3:30pm: Supercars Race 5
4pm – 5pm: Formula One Practice 2
5:30pm – 6:00pm: Formula 2 Qualifying
HOW TO WATCH
The entire Australian Grand Prix, including every practice, qualifying and race, can be watched live and ad-break free on Foxtel and streaming platform Kayo.
Sunday’s race will be broadcast free-to-air on Channel 10 and streaming service 10 Play.
Follow Australian Grand Prix practice in our live blog below!
