Australian GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

AUSTRALIAN GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel took advantage of a mid-race virtual safety car to snatch victory in the first race of the 2018 Formula 1 championship.

    The Ferrari driver had been running third for most of the first half of the race, but inherited the lead when team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton pitted for fresh tyres. Vettel stayed out as Ferrari split its strategy but pitted a handful of laps later when the virtual safety car was deployed.

    Hamiilton was left stunned and frustrated as the Ferrari emerged from the pits just ahead of him. The virtual safety car soon turned to a real safety car, bunching up the field. Hamilton remained close to Vettel on the restart but couldn’t find a way past the Ferrari. He fell away in the closing stages of the race as he tried to preserve his engine and finished five seconds behind Vettel.

    Raikkonen, who had challenged Hamilton early in the race, came home third.

    The safety car had been called out to remove the striken Haas of Romain Grosjean, who had retired only one lap after team-mate Kevin Magnussen had come to a stop with the same problem.

    Magnussen, who had jumped Max Verstappen for fourth at the start of the race, came into the pits on lap 22 of 58. The Dane managed to make it to turn three before coming to a stop with a loose wheel nut on the left-rear wheel. Grosjean suffered the safe fate, pulling to a stop at turn 1 and triggering the caution period.

    Daniel Ricciardo, who had also benefitted from the virtual safety car, was promoted to fourth, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Verstappen.

    Verstappen had a difficult race. Having lost out to Magnussen at the start of the race, the Dutchman followed close behind Haas but ran wide at the turn 11/12 complex on lap six. The incident left him with damage that led to an intermitted loss of downforce. He struggled with the imbalance for the rest of the race, spinning a handful of laps later, but managed to recover to take sixth.

    Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh ahead of Valtteri Bottas, who had been awarded a five place grid penalty having changed gearbox after his qualifying crash.

    Stoffel Vandoorne and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10.

    The Force India duo of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon narrowly missed out on points, finished 11th and 12th, ahead of rookie Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll, and Brendon Hartley.

    Williams’  Sergey Sirotkin retired just 10 minutes into the race with a brakes problem caused by a loose sandwich bag that had found its way on track, just before Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson retired with a loss of power steering.

    Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly was the only other retirement, suffering a power unit failure on lap 13.

RESULTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 18 Points
3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 15 Points
4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / +12 Points
5. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain / + 10 Points
6. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 8 Points
7. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / + 6 Points
8. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 4 Points
9. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / +2 Points
10. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain / + 1 Point
11. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
12. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France
13. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
14. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
15. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / Wheel Nut
RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / Wheel Nut
RETIRED - Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / Power Unit
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Hydraulics
RETIRED – Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia / Brakes

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Australian GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

AUSTRALIAN GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the first race of the season while Ricciardo and Bottas suffered grid penalties. 

    Ricciardo was handed a 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under red flags in Free Practice #2 and Bottas ended up with a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty after crashing out of Q3 early on in the session caused damage to the car which resulted in a gearbox change.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
5. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
6. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
7. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany
8. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia*
9. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain
10. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain
11. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
12. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
14. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France
15. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland**
16. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
17. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
19. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
20. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

* - (Ricciardo) 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for Red Flag infringement
** - (Bottas) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for gearbox change

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Australian GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AUSTRALIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Free Practice 3 was the first session of the season where wet and intermediate tyres were put to use as rain soaked the circuit.

    Drivers were slow to head out but after the first 15-20 minutes, times started to roll out. Only one team opted not to run in the session: Force India.

    Neither Ocon or Perez put a time up for the last practice session of the weekend. With no rain in the forecast for the race, it seemed pointless to do wet-weather running.

    Lance Stroll struggled with a gearbox issue early on in the session but managed to get out and set the 14th fastest time with a 1:35.828. Rookie and new team-mate, Sergey Sirotkin was just ahead of him in 13th.

    Fastest of the rain-soaked session was Sebastian Vettel with a 1:26.067. Raikkonen was close behind as well as Sauber's Marcus Ericsson. Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz in the Renault rounded up the top 5.

    Daniel Ricciardo was given a 3-Place-Grid-Penalty for failing to slow sufficiently under red flag conditions in Free Practice #2, when a loose timing wire was removed from the Start/Finish line. Ricciardo also received 2 penalty points to his license.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:26.067 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:28.499 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

3. Marcus Ericsson - 1:28.890 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

4. Max Verstappen - 1:31.680 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Carlos Sainz - 1:33.172 / Renault-Renault / Spain

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:34.043 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

7. Valtteri Bottas - 1:34.174 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

8. Lewis Hamilton - 1:34.225 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

9. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:34.233 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

10. Fernando Alonso - 1:34.298 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

11. Pierre Gasly - 1:34.990 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

12. Brendon Hartley - 1:35.438 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

13. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:35.589 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

14. Lance Stroll - 1:35.828 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

15. Romain Grosjean - 1:36.171 / Haas-Ferrari / France

16. Charles Leclerc - 1:36.448 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:36.807 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

18. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:38.482 / Renault-Renault / Germany

19. Esteban Ocon - NO TME SET / Force India-Mercedes / France

20. Sergio Perez - NO TIME SET / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

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Australian GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AUSTRALIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    The second practice session in Melbourne saw Lewis Hamilton secure the quickest time with a 1:23.931. Max Verstappen was close behind in second with a 1:24.058. Hamilton's team-mate, Bottas, rounded up the top three with a 1:24.159.

    Completing the top 5 were both Ferrari's with Raikkonen in 4th with a 1:24.214 and Vettel right behind with a 1:24.451.

    Both McLaren's finished within the top ten with Alonso in 8th and Vandoorne in 10th. Switching to Renault engines for the 2018 season could be what the team needs to stay within the top 10 for the other sessions. There is hope that McLaren will be able to fight for more points this season than in the previous ones.

    A Red Flag was caused when a timing wire came loose on the Start/Finish line on the track. Once it was removed, the session was back underway.

    Lance Stroll struggled with mechanical problems at the very end of the session but still managed a 1:25.543 to secure 14th fastest while Sirotkin was down in 18th with a 1:25.974, finishing ahead of both Sauber drivers.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:23.931 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Max Verstappen - 1:24.058 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

3. Valtteri Bottas - 1:24.159 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:24.214 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:24.451 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

6. Romain Grosjean - 1:24.648 / Haas-Ferrari / France

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:24.721 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

8. Fernando Alonso - 1:25.200 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:25.246 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

10. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:25.285 / McLaren-Renault / Denmark

11. Carlos Sainz - 1:25.390 / Renault-Renault / Spain

12. Sergio Perez - 1:25.413 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:25.463 / Renault-Renault / Germany

14. Lance Stroll - 1:25.543 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

15. Esteban Ocon - 1:25.888 / Force India-Mercedes / France

16. Brendon Hartley - 1:25.925 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

17. Pierre Gasly - 1:25.945 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:25.974 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:26.814 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

20. Charles Leclerc - 1:26.815 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

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Australian GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AUSTRALIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2 in the first free practice session of the 2018 Formula 1 championship.

    The last man to leave the pits at the start of the session, Hamilton quickly jumped to the top of the times.

    Improvements from the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo dropped Hamilton to third, but he soon returned to go 0.428s faster than Verstappen.

    He later improved again to set the benchmark at 1m24.026s.

    Team-mate Valtteri Bottas came closest to the reigning champion, but was half a second adrift of Hamilton.

    Verstappen finished the morning third quickest, ahead of the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. Ricciardo dropped down to sixth by the end of the session.

    Romain Grosjean in the Ferrari powered Haas finished best of the rest. He took seventh quickest, 1.704s slower than Hamilton and 0.735s slower than Vettel. His team-mate Kevin Magnussen could only manage 17th quickest and completed just 13 laps.

    McLaren started the season with a mechanical problem. Both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne suffered an exhaust issue which limited their running. When the pair did manage to get out, the finished eighth and 10th quickest, with Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jnr putting himself just ahead of Vandoorne.

    Pierre Gasly narrowly missed out on the top 10, setting a lap time just 0.012s slower than Vandoorne. He finished ahead of fellow rookie Sergey Sirotkin, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon.

    Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez took 15th and 16th, ahead of Magnussen and Brendon Hartley.

    The Saubers of Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc completed the order.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:24.026 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Valtteri Bottas - 1:24.577 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
3. Max Verstappen - 1:24.771 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:24.875 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:24.995 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:25.063 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
7. Romain Grosjean - 1:25.730 / Haas-Ferrari / France
8. Fernando Alonso - 1:25.896 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
9. Carlos Sainz - 1:25.922 / Renault-Renault / Spain
10. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:26.482 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
11. Pierre Gasly - 1:26.494 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
12. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:26.536 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:26.583 / Renault-Renault / Germany
14. Esteban Ocon - 1:26.605 / Force India-Mercedes / France
15. Lance Stroll - 1:26.636 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
16. Sergio Perez - 1:26.767 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:27.035 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
18. Brendon Hartley – 1:27.745 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:27.964 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
20. Charles Leclerc - 1:28.853 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco 

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING

Daniel Ricciardo - “G’day folks. Starting the F1 season in Australia means there is so much hype and so much build up, now with me being the only Australian on the grid there is extra attention, extra questioning and expectation. It’s a lot but it’s fun, it’s cool but it does mean I usually leave that weekend needing 48 hours of pure serenity and quietness.

    Melbourne in 2017 was a combination of my errors and some misfortune, I crashed in qualifying and then we had a technical issue for the race. We were all putting our hand up saying “my fault” last year so 2018 is definitely time to get what we deserve in Melbourne, or get what we came for, that sounds better.

    Getting in the RB14 for the first time was really sweet, hearing it fire up and seeing it with the new bodywork gets you excited for the year. The RB14 compared to the RB13 at this stage last year is a lot different. To start with, getting into the car is a lot harder. There is a fair bit of aerodynamic change this year, real enthusiasts will see it straight away and spot the differences, the main one being the shark fins have gone and obviously the addition of the halo.

    I can’t wait to get the season started, I’m hanging out to get back on the track and these new cars are very fast, looking forward to seeing you all out there!”

Max Verstappen - “I always enjoy going to Melbourne, I like the country and the temperature which is always a welcome change compared to Europe at this time of year. The fans are very passionate about racing and especially Formula 1 as it has a great history in Australia.

    Albert Park is not the easiest track to overtake on, we will try our best but the straights are not quite long enough and a lot of the corners leading to the straights are 90 degrees, this makes it hard to set-up a pass. Turns 11 and 12 are the fastest corners and really cool to drive, especially in qualifying with low fuel in sixth or seventh gear.

    The trees around the circuit sometimes make your braking markers hard to spot with shadows, it’s quite normal on a street circuit but makes it more challenging for us to get it right. We are hoping to have made a large step forward this year and be competitive from the start, to have a fast car from race one and continue for the rest of the season would be great.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It’s great that we’ve done very well in Australia over the last couple of years. It shows that the car has been well built and ready to go. Hopefully, that’s the same this year, then we can put on some performance during the season and keep up the development.

    Early on in the season it’s really key to get reliability. It allows you to get results you maybe weren’t expecting. Hopefully, that’s going to be on our side, then we can score quite a lot of points early on and stay in the fight for a good constructors position.”

    Testing went pretty well. The first week was challenging with the weather conditions. The second week we worked very well. We did some great laps and worked through the program we wanted to do, which was great. I think that’s the best we could prepare for the season. Obviously, every track is different, and we’re going to face different temperatures and things like that, but we’ve done as much as we could.

Kevin Magnussen - “Australia’s cool because it’s part street circuit, part road course. It’s got the feeling of being a street circuit, but it has the flow of a permanent road course. It’s tricky because it’s bumpy in places, braking zones are twisty, and corners are tight in places. That said, it still has some good, high-speed sections like Turn 11.

    The chicane there is really, really fast with the current-generation car. It’s just exciting to be in Australia. It’s the first race of the year and that brings a special feeling.

    It’s going to be a good season, another good season. The first two for the team have been quite successful. It’s going to be difficult to improve them but, of course, that is our aim. I think simply if we get points (in Melbourne), we’ll be happy. We’ll go from there.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "I feel positive. We’ve collected a lot of miles and data over winter testing which isn’t always the case, so that’s really beneficial to the team. I have a year’s worth of experience with the Renault family so that’s a good advantage for the first race.

    We’ve certainly made progress, not just over the whole of 2017 but also over the winter. We won’t know anything, or where we’re at exactly, until Saturday’s qualifying. I’m ready for that challenge and excited to get down to it and give it my all."

Carlos Sainz - "I’m ready and if there’s a race you’re ready for, it’s Australia. You’ve been thinking and preparing for it for months, so it’s a race which brings high levels of motivation. I’ve done my best to pass the time through the off-season, I’ve done a lot of training, driven at Rallye Monte-Carlo and enjoyed testing in Barcelona.

    But now the time has come to get down to it and we have to refocus the body and the mind to getting the best results in 2018."

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - "Finally, time to go racing! This isn’t my first time racing this year of course – I’ve already done a 24-hour race in Daytona and have a very busy season ahead of me – but I’m really excited about getting behind the wheel of the MCL33 for the first grand prix of the year.

    Our car showed a lot of potential in winter testing and, although we know we still have a lot to work on, we’ve already learned a lot about the package and how all the new elements to this year’s car work together. Australia is its first real test, and we need to work hard all weekend to bring all the ingredients together.

    Nobody can ever predict how other teams will perform at the first race of the season and that all contributes to the excitement. Melbourne is a great track and, after what feels like a long winter, I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “Melbourne is a really cool season opener. The first race coincides with my birthday, and I’ve got great memories from last year as it was my first grand prix for the team as race driver. Now that I’ve got my first full season under my belt, I’m heading to Australia feeling confident, relaxed and refreshed, and I can’t wait to go racing again.

    I’ve been working hard all winter on my training and spending a lot of time with the engineers back at the factory to prepare for this year. Although the regulations have stayed relatively stable, there’s still a lot to learn and our package in particular is very different from last year. It’ll also be interesting to see both the drivers’ and fans’ reactions to the very first grand prix with the Halo.

    I’m really excited – it’s the start of a new challenge for all of us. I’m keen to maximize all the track time we have on Friday to work on set-up to suit the circuit conditions and prep for the weekend ahead. We won’t be getting carried away as we don’t yet know for sure where we stand compared to the other teams, but now the winter is over we all can’t wait to get started with F1 2018.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Pierre Gasly - “I am very excited to get to Australia because it is the first race of the year but it is also the beginning of my first full season in Formula 1. It will definitely be a special weekend for me and I’m really looking forward to it! I’ve been there as a reserve driver for Red Bull Racing a couple of years ago, but this will be the first time that I finally race there - a new track for me, which is always very exciting. The first time I went to Australia I came back home and I told my parents that if one day something happens and for any reason I need to change goals and move from France, I would go and live there because I fell in love with Melbourne! The people are so friendly, helpful and they are smiling all of the time. When I was there the weather was great and the city was amazing, so it was a pretty good first impression of the country - it’s a place I really like!”

Brendon Hartley - “Thinking about Australia it’s probably the race I’m looking forward to the most. It’s the first race of the season and it’s been a few months since all of us got to take the race start, so there’s a lot of adrenaline and excitement. Also, it will almost feel like a home race for me. There’s clearly a big difference between Australia and New Zealand, anytime you talk to an Aussie or a Kiwi you learn that pretty quickly! When I was back home in New Zealand, every second or third person I spoke to said they were coming to Australia, so I’m hoping to see a few Kiwi flags around which will be quite a special moment for me!  Some of my very good friends are Aussies - we always have this rivalry, especially in sport - but I find that when we’re away from Australia or New Zealand and come across each other in Europe we always have a lot in common and get along very well, so the rivalry isn’t as bad as people might think.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - “The race in Melbourne is something I look forward to all winter. It’s a really cool place to start the season. I love the city and it’s probably one of my favourite places to visit.

    You always arrive in Melbourne full of hope. There are lots of unanswered questions and it’s when you really start to understand your competitiveness. At the same time, it’s not a typical race because it’s usually quite unpredictable. Often, just finishing the race is the key to getting a good result.

    I feel in good shape and ready for the season to start. I want this to be my best year in Formula 1 and I want to be back on the podium. During testing we saw that all the midfield teams are quite close together in terms of performance. I also think the gap to the front of the grid is smaller. Let’s see what happens."

Esteban Ocon - “It has been a long winter with a two-month training camp for me in the Pyrenees, but hopefully all the hard work will pay off now the racing is starting. I can honestly say I’m in the best shape of my life. I feel ready to go racing again. Testing is one thing, but now we will get the real answers in terms of our performance.

    Melbourne is a fantastic place. I think everybody in the team enjoys going there. The weather is usually nice and there’s extra excitement because it’s the start of the season. The atmosphere is brilliant all weekend and the fans give you lots of energy. I think it’s a perfect place to start the season.

    I’d like to think we can fight for points in Melbourne. We had a really solid second week of testing in Barcelona. I feel comfortable in the car and it’s very consistent. We have new parts coming for the race so hopefully that’s another performance step.”

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "Australia is always a good Grand Prix and I am looking forward to getting back there. It is the start of the season, there is always a great atmosphere, the fans really get into it and you are right there in Melbourne. I shall be excited to turn up. The track itself is bumpy and technical, as well as being narrow, but it is a pleasure to drive and I think we all enjoy going there."

Sergey Sirotkin - "It’s the Australian Grand Prix – it’s my first race in Formula One, my first race with Williams, and my first race in Australia. It’s very exciting and I’m really looking forward to getting there, to start work and to get closer to the lights going out. Looking back at my career, I have always been a racing guy and I’ve always liked the competition, pushing the limits of myself as well as the limits of others. To win in this environment is the biggest dream you can imagine, so I’m really looking forward to this challenge, to put more pressure on myself and to deliver. It’s going to be interesting!"

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “We are ready and looking forward to the first Grand Prix. It is always exciting to kick off the season in such a fantastic location, and on a track that is fun to drive. I am looking forward to seeing our new car on track for the full race weekend for the first time.

    Winter testing was useful in terms of gaining a general understanding of the car’s behaviour and potential. Now, we are moving to the next step when we will start to understand where we are in relation to our competitors. I look forward to it all and can’t wait to be back on track in Albert Park.”

Charles Leclerc - “The first race of a season is always exciting for a driver, but this being the first Formula 1 Grand Prix of my career makes the occasion even more special. Driving on the circuit in Albert Park will be a new experience for me, and I look forward to the challenge. With it being the opening race of the season, you can really feel the excitement and energy there.

    Over the past weeks, I have got to know the team well, learned all of the relevant procedures, and was able to get a first impression of the new C37 during winter testing. I am eager to now spend a full race weekend in the car and work with the team to understand how we can maximize our potential."

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Australian GP: Circuit Preview

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW

Name: Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit

Location: Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia

Opened: November 20th, 1953

Length: 3.296 Miles

Capacity: 80,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 16

Race Laps: 58

2017 RACE STATS:

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Sebastian Vettel

2nd Place: Lewis Hamilton

3rd Place: Valtteri Bottas

Retirements: Romain Grosjean (Water Leak), Jolyon Palmer (Brakes), Marcus Ericsson (Hydraulics), Daniel Ricciardo (Fuel Cell), Lance Stroll (Brakes), Kevin Magnussen (Suspension) & Fernando Alonso (Floor Damage)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

Australian GP: Track Schedule

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE 

March 22nd / Thursday

09:00 - 10:20 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 14:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:25 - 14:40 - Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes (TBC)

15:00 - 16:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

19:15 - 19:45 - Track Tour (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

March 23rd / Friday

10:05 - 10:35 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:30 - 11:45 - Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes (TBC)

12:00 - 13:30 - Free Practice #1

14:00 - 15:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

14:25 - 14:55 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:30 - 15:40 - RAAF F/A Jet Reconnaissance Flight (TBC)

16:00 - 17:30 - Free Practice #2

March 24th / Saturday

11:20 - 11:50 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:20 - 12:00 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

13:20 - 13:35 - RAAF Roulettes (TBC)

14:00 - 15:00 - Free Practice #3

16:00 - 16:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

16:30 - 16:40 - RAAF F/A18 Jet (TBC)

17:00 - 18:00 - Qualifying

March 25th / Sunday

12:30 - 13:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:35 - 14:40 - 2018 F1 Drivers Photograph (Starting Grid)

14:40 - 14:50 - Drivers Track Parade

14:40 - 15:10 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:45 - 15:00 - RAAF Roulettes (TBC)

15:56 - 15:58 - National Anthem

15:58 - 16:05 - RAAF C-17 Globemaster Fly-Over (TBC)

16:10 - 18:10 - Race

* - Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost

Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #4 - RE-CAP & TIMES

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #4 - RE-CAP  & TIMES

    The last day of pre-season testing saw Kimi Raikkonen secure the fastest time of the session. The Ferrari driver, having fully recovered after suffering from illness a few days prior, put in a 1:17.221 and completed a total of 157 laps.

    Close behind was Fernando Alonso with a 1:17.784. McLaren had more mechanical issues in the morning part of the session, but Alonso was able to round up 93 laps and and hold on to that second quickest time.

    Sainz rounded up the top 3 with an impressive 1:18.092 in the Renault, while Daniel Ricciardo and Romain Grosjean completed the top 5.

    Charles Leclerc, running in the Sauber, finished 9th with a 1:19.118 but had a small incident in which he slid off track and hit the barriers near Turn 11. However, he still completed 75 laps during the session. The next time he gets in the car will be for the first free practice session of the first F1 weekend of 2018.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:17.221 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 157 Laps

2. Fernando Alonso - 1:17.784 / McLaren-Renault / 93 Laps

3. Carlos Sainz - 1:18.092 / Renault-Renault / 45 Laps

4. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:18.327 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / 92 Laps

5. Romain Grosjean - 1:18.412 / Haas-Ferrari / 181 Laps

6. Valtteri Bottas (PM) - 1:18.825 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 104 Laps

7. Brendon Hartley - 1:18.949 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / 156 Laps

8. Esteban Ocon - 1:18.967 / Force India-Mercedes / 163 Laps

9. Charles Leclerc - 1:19.118 / Sauber-Ferrari / 75 Laps

10. Sergey Sirotkin (AM) - 1:19.189 / Williams-Mercedes / 105 Laps

11. Lewis Hamilton (AM) - 1:19.464 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 97 Laps

12. Lance Stroll (PM) - 1:19.954 / Williams-Mercedes / 27 Laps

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 @bethonieboost

Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #4 - LINE-UP

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #4 - LINE-UP

Test Location: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - Montmelo, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

MERCEDES-MERCEDES: Lewis Hamilton (AM) / Valtteri Bottas (PM)

FERRARI-FERRARI: Kimi Raikkonen

RED BULL RACING-TAG-HEUER: Daniel Ricciardo

RENAULT-RENAULT: Carlos Sainz (AM) / Nico Hulkenberg (PM)

FORCE INDIA-MERCEDES: Esteban Ocon

WILLIAMS-MERCEDES: Sergey Sirotkin (AM) / Lance Stroll (PM)

SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO-HONDA: Brendon Hartley

HAAS-FERRARI: Romain Grosjean 
McLAREN-RENAULT: Fernando Alonso 

SAUBER-FERRARI: Charles Leclerc

*Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost 

Pre-Season Test #2 - Day #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

PRE-SEASON TEST #2 - DAY #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    The third day of testing saw Sebastian Vettel climb to the top of the time-sheets with an impressive 1:17.182 and also a total of 188 laps. 

    The top three all completed over 100 laps. Second fastest, Kevin Magnussen, in the Haas, completed 153 while Pierre Gasly, entering his first full year of Formula 1 with Toro Rosso, did a total of 169 laps.

    Stoffel Vandoorne finished just outside the top 5 for McLaren with a 1:18.855 and gathered a total of 151 laps.

    The two Mercedes drivers were also not in the top 5 this time around. Lewis Hamilton, who drove in the afternoon portion of the day, finished in 8th with a 1:19.296, just ahead of his team-mate. Bottas, who drove in the morning was close behind in 9th with a 1:19.532.

    Renault saw both drivers finish higher up in the times than Mercedes. Sainz and Hulkenberg, who were also splitting driving duties for the day, finished in the top 5. Hulkenberg did a total of 79 laps and completed a fastest time of 1:18.675 while Sainz did a 1:18.725 and racked up 69 laps for the team.

    Friday is the last day of Pre-Season testing ahead of the season opener in Melbourne, Australia.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:17.182 / Ferrari-Ferrari / 188 Laps

2. Kevin Magnussen - 1:18.360 / Haas-Ferrari / 153 Laps

3. Pierre Gasly - 1:18.363 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / 169 Laps

4. Nico Hulkenberg (AM) - 1:18.675 / Renault-Renault / 79 Laps

5. Carlos Sainz (PM) - 1:18.725 / Renault-Renault / 69 Laps

6. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:18.855 / McLaren-Renault / 151 Laps

7. Marcus Ericsson - 1:19.244 / Sauber-Ferrari / 148 Laps

8. Lewis Hamilton (PM) - 1:19.296 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 84 Laps

9. Valtteri Bottas (AM) - 1:19.532 / Mercedes-Mercedes / 97 Laps

10. Robert Kubica (AM) - 1:19.629 / Williams-Mercedes / 73 Laps

11. Sergio Perez - 1:19.634 / Force India-Mercedes / 159 Laps

12. Max Verstappen - 1:19.842 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / 187 Laps

13. Lance Stroll (PM) - 1:20.262 / Williams-Mercedes / 67 Laps

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 & @bethonieboost