Verstappen Unfazed by Red Bull's Struggles in Melbourne Practice Sessions
Red Bull finds itself fighting an uphill battle heading into the Australian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen finishing sixth in Friday's second practice session. The reigning champion remains unsurprised by the team's current competitive deficit as the weekend progresses.
Red Bull's challenging start to the Australian Grand Prix weekend has done little to rattle Max Verstappen, who anticipated the team's struggles even before Friday's practice sessions concluded.
The Dutch driver's performance during Free Practice 2 told the story of Red Bull's current predicament. Verstappen clocked in sixth fastest on the timing sheets, finding himself 0.637 seconds adrift of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who topped the session. The gap only widened when comparing his pace to other frontrunners: Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli sat 0.423 seconds clear of the Red Bull driver, while Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was another 0.316 seconds up the road.
Despite these unflattering numbers on the timesheets, Verstappen has remained composed about Red Bull's position in the competitive order, suggesting the team's apparent loss of form was entirely foreseeable as the 2026 season unfolds.
Original source
Motorsport.com
Related Regulations
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Full Regulation Text
Article B2.1.1
Free Practice Sessions - Standard Format
Chapter: B2
In Simple Terms
On Friday, teams get two one-hour practice sessions (FP1 and FP2) with a 2-3 hour break between them to test their cars and strategies. If extra tire compounds are available, FP2 extends to 90 minutes. Saturday morning brings FP3, another one-hour session that must start at least 18 hours after FP2 ends.
- FP1 and FP2 are held on Friday, separated by 2-3 hours of downtime
- FP2 can be extended from 60 to 90 minutes if additional tire specifications are provided
- FP3 takes place on Saturday morning with a mandatory minimum 18-hour gap after FP2
- All three sessions are one hour each (or 1.5 hours for FP2 in specific conditions)
Official FIA Text
Two 1-hour free practice sessions (FP1, FP2) separated by 2-3 hours on first day. If additional tyre specs provided, FP2 extended to 1.5 hours. FP3 (1 hour) on second day, starting min 18 hours after FP2 end.
Article B2.1.3
Free Practice Session Classification
Chapter: B2
In Simple Terms
Free Practice sessions are ranked based on each driver's fastest single lap time. The driver with the quickest lap gets first place, the second quickest gets second place, and so on down the grid.
- Classification is based solely on fastest lap time achieved during the session
- Drivers are ranked from fastest to slowest
- Only the single best lap for each driver counts toward the classification
- Free Practice results do not affect the actual race grid positions
Official FIA Text
Classification determined by fastest lap time set by each driver, with fastest in first position, second fastest in second position, and so on.
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