Chequered flag
LEWIS HAMILTON SECURES POLE POSITION FOR THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX.
A 1:21.164 from Lewis Hamilton – New Lap Record
Lewis Hamilton on pole for the Australian GP; Mercedes driver more than half a second ahead of Raikkonen, Vettel third; Bottas crashes out in Q3; which Red Flagged the session. Red Bull running different tyre strategy; Ricciardo fumes over penalty.
Vettel was pipped to second by Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen by just 0.01secs, with the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo fourth and fifth.
Ricciardo is fifth but will start the race in eighth, meaning Kevin Magnussen will be leading the third row tomorrow.
From Q2 Hamilton improved by eight tenths of a second on his last lap to leave Red Bull and Ferrari trailing in his wake.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen will line up alongside Hamilton on the front row with Sebastian Vettel making a few mistakes on his final lap to finish third and Max Verstappen fourth for Red Bull, who were running a different tyre strategy.
Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas crashed at the start of final qualifying and will start 10th at best.
Qualifying top 10 – Result
1) Hamilton
2) Raikkonen
3) Vettel
4) Verstappen
5) Ricciardo
6) Magnussen
7) Grosjean
8) Hulkenberg
9) Sainz
10) Bottas
Out in Q2: Alonso, Vandoorne, Perez, Stroll, Ocon
Out in Q3: Hartley, Ericsson, Leclerc, Sirotkin, Gasly
There was also a big cheer from Lance Stroll, who will be happy to have beaten his new team-mate at Williams. Alonso also seems optimistic with the performance but will he make the top 6.
Who will win the F1 2018 title? Watch the race unfold live tomorrow at 6:10 am BST.
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