- Mercedes driver finishes 11th in Melbourne qualifying
- ‘There is a long list of things to fix. Our car is on a knife edge’
Lewis Hamilton said the inconsistency of his Mercedes “messes with the mind” following his worst qualifying performance in Australia for 14 years. Hamilton, who boasts a record eight pole positions at Melbourne’s Albert Park, will start Sunday’s 58-lap race from a disappointing 11th after he was eliminated in Q2.
Max Verstappen took pole – his third in as many races – as he bids to complete a record-equalling 10 victories, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz joining him on the front row. Hamilton qualified eighth in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago, and ninth the week before in Bahrain.