Free Practice 1 and 2 of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix were filled with interesting moments and performances, with drivers and teams showcasing their skills in both dry and wet conditions. FP2 was the first time this year we saw the use of the wet weather tyres.
FP1 – Verstappen Leads Hamilton in the Dry
Max Verstappen was the fastest driver in the dry FP1 session, clocking a time of 1m18.790s in his Red Bull. Despite a late spin, Verstappen’s time was enough to top the leaderboard. He was ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes by 0.433s. Checo was third fastest, followed by the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
FP2 – Alonso Shines in the Wet
In the wet FP2 session, Fernando Alonso proved to be the fastest driver, clocking a time in the wet of 1m30.764s in his Aston Martin. He was followed closely by Leclerc in the Ferrari and Verstappen in the Red Bull. George Russell impressed in the wet conditions, putting his Mercedes in fourth place, ahead of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and the Alpine of Esteban Ocon.
Sargeant’s Electrical Issues
Unfortunately for Williams’ reserve driver, Logan Sargeant, he experienced an electrical issue during the first practice session, which left him stuck in the garage during FP2. This was a blow for the American driver, who will be hoping for better luck during the rest of the weekend.
Perez’s Unrepresentative Time
Sergio Perez in the Red Bull was seventh fastest in FP2. But it’s worth noting that he was fastest in sectors one and two before being blocked by an Alfa Romeo. Which means his time will be slightly unrepresentative of what he is actually able to get out of his car.
Drivers Explored the Grass and Gravel Off Track
Towards the end of FP2, Russell was winding up a lap on the inters, but almost ran off the road under braking for Turn 13, which cost him time as he gathered up the Mercedes through the final right-hander.
Stroll’s Turn 3 woes continued as he locked up and went straight on into the gravel. The rain had properly worsened in the last 10 minutes or so, making the track look extremely slippery.
Alonso joined the fray too in FP2, logging his first wet laps aboard the Aston. His place atop the timesheets appeared safe, as he topped the leaderboard in the wet conditions.
Piastri, Russell, and Magnussen were the trio currently circulating quickest in the tricky conditions of the wet FP2 session. Piastri, as a rookie, was logging the laps, savouring the experience of driving the Albert Park track just down the road from his home.
Onto Qualifying
Overall, it was an exciting start to the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, with drivers and teams working hard to cope with the wet conditions. Verstappen, Hamilton, and Leclerc all looked quick in the dry, while Alonso and Leclerc shone in the wet. There were a few issues, such as Sargeant’s electrical problem and Stroll’s Turn 3 struggles, but the teams will be hoping to rectify these before the next practice session. It will be interesting to see how the drivers and teams perform in the next session and who will come out on top in qualifying.