Australian Grand Prix live updates, Saturday blog, qualifying, Practice 3, how to watch, start time, blog, Oscar Piastri result, plans for night race, latest

After a chaotic but otherwise less than newsworthy opening day of F1 action in Melbourne, things are about to heat up as qualifying arrives. Live updates below!

For many in the paddock the question isn’t if Red Bull reigns supreme, but by how far; the only stumbling block could be Friday’s rain which limited everyone’s running.

Could 2023 surprise packets Aston Martin, or Ferrari or Mercedes, pull a stunner? And how will Oscar Piastri fare in his hometown debut? Qualifying live from 4pm AEDT.

Watch the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2023 Live and ad-break free in racing on Kayo Sports this Sunday April 2 3:00PM AEDT. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

PRACTICE 3 LIVE REPORT

A windy and cold afternoon – much like the start of Practice 2 before the rain hit – greeted all 20 drivers as they got their final practice running underway at Albert Park.

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok declared he was keen to see how McLaren fared after a solid first day, believing they could both crack the top 10 in qualifying.

“I think McLaren, I would be interested to see, because they looked a bit better in the first two sessions. Lando Norris missed half the session but still ended up in the top 10,” he said on Sky Sports F1.

“In the damp in the afternoon both drivers looked pretty confident so I wonder if McLaren could sneak both cars into Q3.”

Max Verstappen set a strong early mark with a 1:18.741 on the mediums, just 0.010 slower than Charles Leclerc was on the softs.

But his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez didn’t make it on track in the opening 20 minutes with mechanics working on his car in a worrying sight – it was believed to be a stiff rear anti-roll bar – before he eventually got going.

“That doesn’t look like entirely routine work on the Red Bull,” F1 TV analyst Sam Collins said.

“This is not entirely scheduled because there’s a very slim chance of rain and we lost Practice 2 essentially … if you haven’t come out it’s a little bit of a surprise.”

He added: “Red Bull’s reliability is not bullet-proof at the moment … there are a few little gremlins in the back of that car.”

Both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant leapt into the top 10 through half an hour with ex-Renault driver Jolyon Palmer declaring on F1 TV: “Holy smokes, the Williams has got some pace!”

A red flag was flown with 27 minutes left in the session after a big piece of AlphaTauri debris on the racing line on the way into turn 9 was spotted, causing a five-minute stoppage.

Perez’s difficult session continued with a few off-road adventures as he remained anchored to the bottom of the timesheet.

“I just don’t feel the… it’s all OK with the car?” Perez asked on team radio, also complaining of brake issues into Turn 1.

Another off a few minutes later as he tried for a push lap saw Jolyon Palmer declare: “He just can’t put a lap together at all.”

Lando Norris’ practice drew to an early close with 15 minutes left with Ted Kravitz explaining in the pits: “Lando’s car is broken. Practice is over for Lando.”

As showers fell in the final minutes of the session Perez had yet another off, locking up into Turn 1 with his brakes remaining a problem, before finally posting a proper time – yet he was almost six tenths off his teammate Verstappen.

Alpine was the big surprise with Esteban Ocon in third and Pierre Gasly in fifth.

Piastri was summoned to see the stewards after a practice start infringement as he rehearsed in the wrong spot on the grid – he was supposed to go into the first slot available at the front but instead went from P3.

“A reminding of the rules and that’ll be it for Piastri, surely,” Jolyon Palmer said on F1 TV.

PRACTICE 3 LEADERBOARD

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull (1:17.565)

2. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin (+0.162)

3. Esteban Ocon, Alpine (+0.373)

4. George Russell, Mercedes (+0.390)

5. Pierre Gasly, Alpine (+0.529)

6. Sergio Perez, Red Bull (+0.558)

7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari (+0.562)

8. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes (+0.573)

9. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin (+0.633)

10. Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo (+0.765)

11. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas (+0.845)

12. Alex Albon, Williams (+0.988)

13. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari (+1.126)

14. Oscar Piastri, McLaren (+1.148)

15. Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo (+1.244)

16. Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri (+1.336)

17. Logan Sargeant, Williams (+1.382)

18. Kevin Magnussen, Haas (+1.491)

19. Nyck De Vries, AlphaTauri (+1.527)

20. Lando Norris, McLaren (+1.581)

All on softs except Norris on mediums

‘THEY HAD TO’: RED BULL REJECTS STAR’S ONE-CAR TEAM CLAIM

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has denied Sergio Perez’s claims the team used to race two cars “just because they had to”.

While Perez has maintained he now has the support of the team, he suggested Max Verstappen’s former teammates like Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Daniil Kyvat didn’t earn the same respect.

Despite the widespread perception Verstappen is prioritised, Horner rejected the suggestion on Friday.

“Well, that’s the first I’ve heard him saying that,” Horner said. “We always have run two cars since we entered the sport in 2005.

“And we always want to have the best two drivers that we can in the car, and I think it’s great to see Checo doing certainly a great job now.

“In 2021 he came into the car off the back of the COVID season and at the end of a set of regulations, and he struggled with that car. Last year, he was definitely more at home within the car and two of our 17 victories he achieved.

“He’s got out the blocks well again this year. But we’re only two races into the season and it’s an awful long, long way to go. And as a team, we’ve always strived to give both drivers the best opportunity and the best equipment we can and then it’s down to what they do on track.

“And that’s whether it’s Max and Checo, or Daniel (Ricciardo) and Max, or Daniel and Seb (Vettel), or Mark (Webber) and Seb, or we could even go back to David Coulthard and Mark Webber.

“So that’s the way we’ve always rolled and it’s down to what they do on the circuit at the end of the day that counts.”

Perez was asked on Thursday whether he felt he had the support of the team as he builds a case as the main threat to Verstappen’s championship hopes.

“I fully believe (that) and certainly when I came to the team, things were very different. Basically, they were just going racing with two cars because they had to,” he said.

“I can say now that I really feel part of the team. I really feel like I have my place, and I am well respected. And I think that’s something good to have as a driver.

“I really believe that I have full support of the team as much as Max does, and that I will have every single opportunity to win the championship as much as Max.”

‘THIS IS SPORT’: PEREZ LIFTS LID ON AWKWARD VERSTAPPEN SCENE

Red Bull star Sergio Perez reiterated he has “a good relationship” with Jos Verstappen despite the latter’s snub in Saudi Arabia.

Perez stormed home to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with Jos’ son, Max, finishing second.

As the Mexican celebrated with his Red Bull team members, the elder Verstappen was seen looking rather awkward.

The Dutchman gave a nod of acknowledgment towards Perez, but refused to offer any handshakes or other gestures of congratulations.

Perez then gave a big and lengthy hug to the people next to Verstappen, who didn’t quite know where to look and seemed as if he’d rather be anywhere else in that moment.

However, the Red Bull driver didn’t seem too fussed about it all.

“I have a good relationship with Jos,” Perez told the Press Association.

“We respect each other. We know this is sport, and that is how we treat it.

“We shook hands but they probably didn’t show that. I saw a few things were written on social media, but sometimes people like to create stories that don’t exist.

“He wasn’t smiling much but you don’t have to smile every day and all the time.

“I drive cars, I work hard with my team but I have a life out of the sport and, once I am out of this paddock, I am totally out of this environment.

“It is important to be able to disconnect because it is a waste of time if you keep tracking all the rumours.”

‘NO QUESTION MORE PEOPLE WOULD WATCH’: PLANS FOR SHOCK AUS GP CHANGE REVEALED

The Australian Grand Prix could become the latest race on the Formula One calendar to take place at night, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also hoping to make the Albert Park race the season curtain raiser once again.

Should the switch go ahead, it would make the Australian GP one of seven night races in F1’s stacked season.

Australian GP chairman Paul Little is certainly intrigued by the move and insists he will “continue to explore” the viability of pushing the race into the evening under the Melbourne night sky.

“I’d love to not rule out a night Grand Prix,” Little said.

“I just think if we could make that work, that would be amazing and also great for reaching the rest of the F1 audience.

“There is no question more people would watch it if they could see it live at a reasonable hour on the other side of the world.

“So I think we will continue to explore the viability and the capability of doing that.”

MORE COVERAGE

Practice Talking Pts: Verstappen dominant, but rain leaves big questions unanswered

Practice Wrap: F1 ace rages as rain ruins practice; no luck for Aussie in dramatic quali

ALONSO TOPS TIMESHEETS IN RAIN-HIT PRACTICE 2

There was a huge rush to get out onto the circuit at the opening of Practice 2 with rain on the radar and huge temperature drops, with an estimated 40 per cent chance of showers during the session and a track temperature of 26.5 degrees.