Based on the third free practice, George Russell is considered the favorite for pole position for the Australian Grand Prix. The Englishman was more than six-tenths faster than the Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the final practice session. Max Verstappen, struggling with steering issues, had to settle for sixth place.

At times during the third free practice, it is clearly visible how drivers are still searching for how to distribute energy, both in terms of saving and deploying it. When do you lift off the throttle, when do you brake and how much? At what speed do you enter the corner, and so on. There is also extra downshifting for certain corners. These are all considerations, and only after qualifying will it become clear for the first time who truly has things best in order.

However, Russell shows once again in the closing stages of the third free practice that he is fast. The Englishman opens up a significant gap to the competition. He does this shortly after teammate Kimi Antonelli experienced a heavy crash; Russell was already very fast on that lap as well.

Read also: Heavy crash Antonelli, qualifying possibly in danger

Red flag

Whether or not there is a restriction on ‘straight mode’ and a damaged track prior to the session; it is not boring in and around Albert Park in the lead-up to the third free practice. After some delay, there is finally a green light, after which nearly half of the drivers take to the track in the first ten minutes. Soon there is a problem for Carlos Sainz: the Williams car seems to have a broken power unit, the Spaniard is stationary at the pit entrance. It causes a red flag. Among others, Verstappen has not yet driven a lap; he was just about to head out.

After some delay and with 40 minutes left on the clock, the session can finally be resumed. This allows the Dutchman to make his first meters of the day. Halfway through the session, this results in a fifth place, despite a fastest first sector at that moment. However, Ferrari leads the way with Hamilton and Leclerc.

Verstappen

That doesn’t last, as Oscar Piastri also joins the battle for the top spots on behalf of McLaren. However, no one makes as strong a case for pole as Russell. He shows the true speed of Mercedes and finishes first.

Verstappen then reports steering problems. It hinders the Dutchman during this session and also explains why he finishes in P6, even behind teammate Isack Hadjar. It is a problem that will hopefully be solvable for the Dutchman before qualifying. Either way, there is only one favorite for pole: George Russell.