race · australian

Norris was over a second faster than anyone in the top 8 through Sector 3 — the high-speed chicane complex that accounts for 57% of the lap time spread.

Norris had the fastest car in Melbourne and finished fourth behind Russell because McLaren stopped twice when they didn't need to.

Russell did 46 laps on one set of hards while Verstappen — half a second faster per lap — needed two stops and still finished sixth.

Hadjar's medium tyres were already dying when he pulled in — Verstappen's hard-medium-hard strategy was the only thing that kept Red Bull in the points.