Verstappen tops FP1, Alonso leads rain-hit FP2 at Australian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen rules FP1 despite a late spin, while Fernando Alonso conquers a rain-hit FP2 at the Australian Grand Prix. Teams and drivers face porpoising and GPS issues as they navigate the demanding Albert Park circuit.
Championship leader Max Verstappen set the pace in the first practice session for the Australian Grand Prix, while Fernando Alonso topped a rain-interrupted second practice session on Friday.
Verstappen Fastest despite late spin in FP1
Max Verstappen showed his prowess by going quickest in the first practice session, besting Lewis Hamilton by four-tenths of a second and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
The Dutch driver experienced a late spin at the exit of turn four, briefly going off track but managing to recover.
The opening session at Albert Park saw drivers dealing with issues like porpoising and traffic congestion.
Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Williams' Logan Sargeant reported bouncing along the straights, while the Global Positioning System (GPS) used to track cars around the circuit failed, leading to a red-flag situation.
After a delay, the session resumed with Verstappen topping the timesheet, followed by Hamilton and Perez.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished in fourth and fifth, respectively.
FP1 Results Australian Grand Prix
Alonso Quickest as Rain Disrupts FP2
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso showed his experience, going fastest in the rain-interrupted second practice session, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen trailing him.
The session began with drivers rushing onto the track, anticipating the approaching rain.
Alonso set the fastest time before the rain started falling around the 15-minute mark, preventing further improvements.
His time of 1’18.887 put him nearly half a second ahead of Leclerc's Ferrari.
As the rain intensified, teams sent their drivers out on intermediate tires to gather wet weather data.
Williams driver Logan Sargeant, who had experienced a sudden loss of power in FP1, did not participate in FP2 as his team continued working on his car.
With the two practice sessions complete, the stage is set for an exciting Australian Grand Prix weekend, as the teams and drivers adapt to changing conditions and put their strategies to the test.
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