#F1 #AustralianGP #FP1: @CharlesLeclerc heads @ScuderiaFerrariHP one-two.

Leclerc Australian GP FP1 – Charles Leclerc hit the new era of Formula 1’s sweeping rules and regulations running leading a Ferrari one-two ahead of team-mate Sir Lewis Hamilton in opening practice at the season-opening Australian GP on the streets of Albert Park as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the top three in the Milton Keynes-based outfits new partnership with Ford begins.

Leclerc posted the session-topping benchmark of a 1:20.267 on the C5 red-marked softer tyres and was 0.467 seconds clear of team-mate Hamilton whilst Verstappen was a further 0.522 seconds off the Monegasque driver in third.

The first driver to venture out on-track to lead the pack out with the new cars was Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg on the C5 yellow-marked medium compounds.

Haas’s Esteban Ocon was the first to register a lap-time of a 1:34.589 as the virtual safety car was brought out after Racing Bulls’ driver was stranded on the pit-exit line as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri reported no power from his MCL40 racer.

Piastri reported back saying the power is back but not running as it should.

After the VSC ended, reigning champion Lando Norris also reported problems with his McLaren as he was wheeled back into the pits.

Leclerc put his SF-26 racer on top setting a 1:31.362, then was beaten by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto’s 1:27.466, then by Russell’s 1:26.483.

Verstappen then jumped to the top with the mediums, setting a 1:22.920 as Antonelli and Lawson slotted into second and third respectively.

That was short-lived as Leclerc moved back into second, posting a 1:24.176 then was knocked off by Hadjar’s 1:24.147 to make it a Red Bull one-two as the majority of the drivers were running the mediums in their opening stints.

Ferrari’s Hamilton then moved into second to be 0.893 seconds adrift of Verstappen’s benchmark at the ninth-minute mark as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was reported to not be running this session due to a power-unit issue with the Honda engine.

Antonelli planted his Mercedes on-top with a 1:22.812 then was relegated to second by Leclerc’s 1:22.322 as Verstappen then returned to P1 to go 0.017 seconds clear of the Ferrari driver posting a 1:22.305.

Russell was next in his F1 W17 Silver Arrow and the Briton moved up to sixth in the order to end up 1.573 seconds off Verstappen’s best time at the 14^th minute mark of proceedings.

His team-mate Antonelli remained in third as Leclerc with two purple opening sectors went quickest on a 1:22.080 and 0.225 seconds clear of Verstappen at the opening quarter.

Hadjar was next, with a personal best sector one and two purples went fastest on the time-sheets posting a 1:21.888 to be 0.192 seconds ahead of Leclerc.

McLaren’s Norris then reported his downshifts were much better as Russell improved to sixth once more to be 0.808 off Hadjar’s best time.

Leclerc once again moved back into top spot setting a 1:21.635 after a purple sector one and personal best sector three to be 0.253 seconds in-front of the two Red Bulls of Hadjar and Verstappen.

Hamilton then split the Red Bulls, putting his Ferrari third with three personal bests, a 1:21.966 put him 0.331 seconds off his leading team-mate Leclerc at the 20^th minute stage of proceedings.

Hadjar then with two purples once more put his Red Bull at the head of the times, setting a 1:21.460 to go 0.175 seconds clear of Leclerc.

Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas reported being blocked by former team-mate Hamilton at the turn 11 right-hander, as Verstappen went fastest pipping his team-mate Hadjar by 0.057 seconds with his 1:21.403 as Hamilton slotted into fourth behind team-mate Leclerc and was also 0.295 seconds off the Dutchman’s best effort.

Leclerc on his next flying lap, went quickest with a purple middle sector setting a 1:21.227 to be 0.176 seconds clear of Verstappen whilst world champion Norris could only manage 15^th in the order as both McLaren’s of Piastri and Norris sat 15^th and 16^th respectively for the defending World Constructor’s Champions.

Piastri on his next hot-lap with three personal bests went fifth in the classification and wounded up 1.175 seconds off Leclerc’s best effort as replays showed Colapinto took a wild excursion through the gravel trap at turn three.

The majority of the field returned back to the pits for setup adjustments at near the half-an-hour mark of proceedings, the top seven of Leclerc, Verstappen, Hadjar, Hamilton, Piastri, Antonelli and Lawson.

Russell was out on-track running the C5 red-marked softer tyres.

The Briton put his Silver Arrow with three personal bests fifth on the quickest tyre of the weekend and was 0.890 seconds off Leclerc’s benchmark with 29 minutes left on the clock.

All the field bar Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell, Antonelli, Lawson, Colapinto, Lindblad and Perez were out on track.

Verstappen was on his flying tour on the softer rubber and with two personal bests in sector one and two and a purple final sector went back to the top setting a 1:20.908 as his new Red Bull team-mate Hadjar slotted into second, also on the softs to end up 0.179 seconds adrift.

Leclerc was on his initial hot-lap on the softs and with two personal bests took back P1 with a 1:20.829 to be 0.079 seconds clear of Verstappen as Hamilton was fourth in the order and 0.466 seconds off his team-mate.

McLaren have reported Norris would not continue for the rest of the session due to a gearbox issue aboard his MCL40 racer.

Verstappen on his next flying lap with two personal bests and a purple final sector went fastest once more setting a 1:20.789 to be 0.040 seconds in-front of Leclerc as Hamilton remained in fourth and 0.373 seconds off the Red Bull driver.

Replays showed Hadjar ran off at turn one after suffering a big lock-up as Hamilton went wide over the rumble strip at turn ten.

With less than 15 minutes left on the clock, the majority were back in the pits adjusting their car setups bar Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Sainz, Lindblad, Albon, Perez, Gasly and Bottas.

Hamilton with a personal best sector one and two purples went fastest setting a 1:20.736 to end up 0.053 seconds clear of Verstappen.

The yellow flags and then the VSC were brought out with less than 11-minutes remaining after Williams’ Alexander Albon stopped on-track on the right-hand side just after turn 10 as the Thai-Briton reported: “I’ve lost power steering, and everything” with his Mercedes-powered FW48 entry sounding unhealthy as he approached the fast-sweeping turns nine and ten.

After the VSC ended with less than eight minutes remaining, replays showed Perez suffer a spin out of turn four.

Replays showed the Mexican clipped the kerb at turn four and lost the rear of his MAC-01 Cadillac before getting going again.

Lindblad with a purple middle sector and a personal best final sector went to fifth overall to be 0.351 seconds off Hamilton’s best time.

Leclerc was next with two personal bests and purple final sector went quickest on a 1:20.267 seconds clear as home favourite Piastri took sixth and 1.075 seconds off the Ferrari driver’s benchmark as the session reached the chequered flag.

Verstappen rounded out the top three and ahead of team-mate Hadjar who was fourth and sister-team driver Lindblad who completed the top five for Racing Bulls.

Home favourite Piastri took sixth in the order for McLaren as the two Silver Arrows of Russell and Antonelli were seventh and eighth respectively.

Audi Revolut F1 Team’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top ten in the team’s debut after it’s rebranding from Sauber marking a new era for the Hinwil-based outfit.

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