The Australian Oscar Piastri sent home fans into a frenzy by putting McLaren at the top of the timesheets in the second free practice session of the Australian Grand Prix this Friday (6).
Meanwhile, Aston Martin got some relief by being able to complete laps with both its cars after previous problems.
Racing at home, Piastri recorded the best lap around the Albert Park Circuit in 1min19s729 on a sunny afternoon, 0s214 ahead of Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and .
For Ferrari, he was fourth fastest, followed by teammate Charles Leclerc, who had led the first free practice session (FP1) with a time of 1min20s267.
The new era of Formula 1 engines began surrounded by caution and with several reliability problems. In the first practice, the virtual safety car was deployed twice.
The incidents continued into second practice, with immediate drama in the pit lane. Russell required a minor repair to the front of his car after colliding with 18-year-old Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad as he exited the pit lane.
“This guy just hit my front wing,” Russell complained over the team radio. Both drivers should be investigated by the stewards.
Alpine driver Franco Colapinto will also be investigated for abruptly reducing speed in the pit lane, forcing Hamilton to swerve.
Max Verstappen had problems leaving the Red Bull Racing pit: the car stalled in the pit lane. Later, the driver also escaped into the gravel after locking his tires in turn 10.
The four-time world champion and runner-up from last season was out for almost half the session before returning to record the sixth fastest time.
Current champion, improved to seventh position in the second training session after finishing only 19th in the first, hampered by a gearbox problem.
The new hybrid engines — with a much greater share of electrical energy compared to the previous generation — have represented a steep learning curve for pilots, requiring greater control over energy use and regeneration.
Even so, Lindblad, the only rookie of the season and the youngest British driver in F1 history, drew attention for his attitude. He was fifth fastest in the first practice and finished eighth in the second, beating teammate Liam Lawson.
Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, who was ninth in the previous session, finished 14th.
Turn three proved especially challenging for the drivers: Russell, Hamilton and Leclerc locked wheels and escaped into the gravel at the scene.
At Aston Martin, the first training session was practically lost due to reliability problems. In the second, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed 31 laps, recording only the 20th and 21st times.
Despite Stroll being six seconds behind Piastri’s lap, the session was considered better for the team, as Alonso did not take part in the first practice session and Stroll was only able to complete three laps initially.
Both drivers are limited in mileage due to the risk of permanent nerve damage caused by the car’s vibrations, and the team’s weekend remains threatened by battery failures.
The new Cadillac team also had a low-key start in the series. The experienced Sergio Pérez was only 20th fastest in the first practice and missed most of the second session due to a sensor problem.
When the Mexican returned to the track at the end of training, he was unable to complete a fast lap.
His Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas also had a low-key performance, dropping from 17th place in the first practice session to 19th in the second.
The teams will still have one last free training session on Saturday before qualifying begins.
Doubts remain about how the new engine regulations will behave under race conditions. Early signs indicate that the cars are slower: Piastri’s best lap in second practice was more than three seconds slower than Leclerc’s equivalent time (1min16s439) at Albert Park last year.
