However, Piastri is not the only driver to watch as qualifying begins. Mercedes driver George Russell was just 0.039 seconds off Piastri’s pace, and Max Verstappen was just 0.081 seconds behind in third.

McLaren's Lando Norris kept his cool on a sweltering afternoon at Albert Park to take pole position at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Saturday as his teammate Oscar Piastri joined him on the front row.

Follow live updates from Formula One’s opening grand prix weekend of the 2025 season in Melbourne, Australia A very warm welcome one and all to the second day of track action on the opening weekend of the new Formula One season. And you know what that means…