Australian Grand Prix – Race perspectives
At the end of a thrilling qualifying session, Max Verstappen finds himself being chased by the two Mercedes. And even though the performance of the Ferraris seems to be lacking, the race could still hold some surprises. What can we expect from the Australian Grand Prix?
Can George Russell win?
Until Q3, Mercedes’ weekend seemed to be following the pattern of previous Grand Prix. Even though Max Verstappen is far ahead in terms of time, he struggled to put together three sectors without any issues. The Red Bull driver appeared to be struggling with the overall balance of his car, sometimes experiencing understeer and sometimes oversteer.
These are all facts that make us hopeful that the two Mercedes drivers will be able to help each other to go after victory. Especially since the RB19 seems to be experiencing some reliability issues at the beginning of the season.
More comfortable at the wheel of the W14 than his seven-time world champion teammate, George Russell could be the spanner in the works for Red Bull/Verstappen this weekend.
Sergio Perez’s comeback
We were discussing the reliability of the RB19. It was put to the test in qualifying in Jeddah, denying Max Verstappen a possible pole position. It also failed Sergio Perez as early as the third corner in Q1.
The Mexican driver will start from the back of the grid, just like his Dutch teammate did in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago.
As much as the reigning world champion’s comeback seemed “easy” on the Saudi track, the task will be more challenging for Perez at Albert Park. The weather conditions make the grip more precarious this weekend, and even though the circuit has four DRS zones, the overtaking conditions are slightly less favorable in Australia.
If Sergio Perez wants to keep his chances of fighting for the world championship alive, he will have to preserve his tires, his engine, and his car, which could hamper his comeback.
The Ferrari case
As much as Aston Martin is the revelation of this early season, Ferrari is one of the biggest disappointments.
A substantial increase in engine power was announced. But ultimately, on the track, the stopwatch proves that the Italian team has not made much progress, or very little. While all their opponents have managed to gain tenths here and there, the SF-23 seems to be at its maximum capacity.
Charles Leclerc hopes to have a more satisfying pace in the race, but we clearly saw that the sensations were not there in Jeddah.
It seems unlikely that the Italian team will be able to return to the podium as both Fernando Alonso and the two Mercedes drivers seem motivated and capable of at least reaching second and third place in the race.
Hope for Alpine?
Our “Team France” in Formula 1 is gradually making progress in understanding the race car. With Pierre Gasly in Q3, they once again prove that they have the potential to be the fifth force on the grid before aiming for something better.
Esteban Ocon, a victim of traffic during his last quick lap, failed to make it to Q3, but clearly had the pace to join his Norman teammate.
So we can hope for a double points finish for our French drivers on Sunday. In Australia, the Grand Prix is often disrupted by incidents that could benefit the Alpine team.
