P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen’s deficit to Charles Leclerc in FP2 at F1’s Australian GP shouldn’t be taken as representative. Neither should his or team-mate Sergio Perez’s long runs. But there is a lot of catching up for Red Bull to do – so can Ferrari strike?
Max Verstappen faced setbacks during FP2 at the Australian Grand Prix due to floor damage on his car from hitting the kerbs. This caused him and Red Bull to fall behind their planned schedule for the day. Verstappen struggled to match the pace of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but he remains optimistic about the team’s potential for improvement.
Red Bull needs to make up for lost time before FP3 on Saturday morning, with Verstappen noting understeer issues on both tyre compounds. Despite the challenges, Verstappen remains confident that they can fine-tune their performance.
Ferrari seems to be the frontrunner following Red Bull’s troubles, with Carlos Sainz returning strongly and Leclerc leading the way in both single-lap and long-run pace. McLaren showed promise in long-run simulations but lagged behind on single-lap pace.
Lewis Hamilton struggled with floor damage on his Mercedes, hampering performance and causing frustration within the team. The switch to softer tyre compounds for the race is expected to impact strategy, with different teams evaluating one-stop versus two-stop strategies.
