3
05:03
Valtteri Bottas’ first lap time
It is Valtteri Bottas who sets the first lap time of the weekend in his Alfa Romeo. The Finn has a 1:26.761 on medium tires.
2
05:01
It fills up quickly
But the Mexican is not alone for long. More and more pilots go on their installation rounds. Among them is Sebastian Vettel, for whom this weekend’s race marks the start of the 2022 racing season.
1
05:00
Start 1st workout
The traffic lights are green, the start of the 1st training session in Melbourne has taken place. One of the first riders out on the track is Sergio Pérez, who is running aero rakes.
04:54
Schumacher looks towards points
The former problem child Haas, on the other hand, is developing into a team that can get involved far up front in midfield. Kevin Magnussen has scored points in both previous races. Mick Schumacher, on the other hand, is still without points. In the first race he missed the top ten by a hair’s breadth, he missed the second race after a serious qualifying accident. But now the German youngster is back in the car and should be going into the weekend with great ambitions.
04:48
Vettel back in the cockpit
While the other drivers have already completed two race weekends this season, Australia will be the start of 2022 for Sebastian Vettel. A corona infection ensured that the first two races of the new season took place without the four-time world champion. The feelings on the return are likely to be mixed, because the first two races have made it clear that the Aston Martin has not been able to keep up with the competition so far. Besides Williams, Aston Martin is the only team that hasn’t scored a point this season. Difficult conditions for Vettel, who, in contrast to his racing colleagues, is also missing the racing kilometers.
04:41
Mercedes under pressure
After years of dominating the new era of Formula 1, Mercedes finds itself in an unfamiliar role. The team is currently far behind Ferrari and Red Bull. Hamilton was only tenth in Saudi Arabia and has so far been struggling with the still stubborn Mercedes. The team has certainly worked a lot behind the scenes, but will the turnaround succeed in Australia?
04:37
Is there a duel between Leclerc and Verstappen again?
In the first two races, it was Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc who dominated the action and created high tension with gripping duels. There is much to suggest that they will set the tone again in Australia. It will also be interesting to see how the two teammates react. Are they already behind their team-mates or are Sainz and Pérez also involved when it comes to awarding the win?
04:29
Return to Melbourne
For the first time since 2019, the formula is back in Melbourne this year. After the long-standing opening race had to be paused for a long time due to the corona pandemic and the strict requirements of the Australian government, the drivers are now back Down Under. A lot has happened on the course during the break. The 5.275-kilometre circuit now has more full-throttle sections and wider corners, which should make overtaking easier. There are also four DRS zones this year.
Warm welcome!
Formula 1 returns to Melbourne after a three-year Corona break. The first showdown in Albert Park will be with the 1st practice session starting at 5:00 a.m.