He had it in his hand. Again, it was close. Very close. Painting the first sector purple. Pressing, and a lot, Max Verstappen. Putting everything he had in his Aston Martin. In his AMR23. Leaving the magic that he always has in each zone from the Australian track. Until the end it was believed. Until the end I try. until the end it was Fernando Alonso fighting for the pole.
Fighting to return to a place that hasn’t been in a long time. For too long. Since in Germany, in the far, far away 2012, was the fastest on a Saturday. Hopes were pinned on Albert Park. And there still are, because if the Aston Martin stands out in something, it is in race pace.
It is also in traction. When going around a curve. At the entrance and exit. In the braking Yeah, that’s why Melbourne was special. So Australia was a good day. So it could be time. But not. Not for the moment. Because Melbourne has changed. And what is new has been better for others.
DRS needs to improve
Like, for example, Red Bull or, more specifically, Max Verstappen. And also the Mercedes. Sector 2 was the big problem for Alonso. The big problem for Aston Martin. The reason, the DRS. Yes, the great aspect to improve of the AMR23 and what they will surely be working on.
Because sector 1 belonged to Alonso. In purple, but leaving a few tenths in the second. In the third, recovering. Making sure that we did not lose sight of the timetable as he crossed the finish line.
We had to wait, because Fernando was, like everyone except Verstappen, one of those who used a couple of warm-up laps. And then to shoot. To throw a lot To pull so much that he was able to reach Q3 with two sets of tires. Because in Q2 just 64 thousandths They separated Max from Fernando.
And the Mercedes are back
And in the end, in the fight for pole position, the difference was four tenths. The Dutchman uncovered the jar of essences. He had to do it. Because the Mercedes snuck in. Because he didn’t even have pole position in his last attempt. Because hamiltonthat complains bitterly when things don’t work out, he was there again. Like Russell.
George was second; Lewis, third. The two, after Verstappen. Both, ahead of Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard, again against Hamilton in Australia. English was in charge of remembering it, recalling that 2007 of such a bad taste for McLaren.
Now, 16 years later, there will be a battle again at the start of a Grand Prix. The weapons, powerful. The Mercedes, back; the Aston Martin, according to Alonso’s words, carrying out “the best of the three time trials in terms of performance”. And, ahead, Max Verstappen.
And Sainz, fifth
Long will be the race. Long and complicated, seeing what happened to a Sergio Pérez who was left out in Q1. Because Melbourne is a track that penalizes mistakes. Because does not forgive And because everything can happen.
The strong point of Aston Martin, the long run. The weak point, the DRS. The one in front, as close as the one behind, with a Carlos Sainz who placed Ferrari fifth. To a renovated red car already thinking more about the race than qualifying.
Two Spaniards in the top five positions. Two Spaniards with options to fight for the podium. So yes, we are definitely going to have fun in the race… and also throughout the World Cup.
