Lewis Hamilton takes spectacular pole as Bottas crashes

Summary

Hamilton on pole, Bottas crashes heavily
Raikkonen 2nd, Vettel 3rd, Verstappen 4th
Both McLarens out in Q2, Sirotkin, Toro Rossos out in Q1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

Postpublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Image source, Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton will take a familiar position at the front of the pack in tomorrow's race, so are we in for more of the same?
Until that stunning lap Ferrari and Red Bull had looked very close and both were close in the long runs during practice. And Hamilton has only once before turned pole into victory in Australia.
It's far from a foregone conclusion so join us to see how the first race of 2018 unfolds tomorrow morning at 04:30 BST.
Don't forget the clocks go forward!!
What happened in qualifying?published at 08:04 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Melbourne
Lewis Hamilton pulled out a spectacular last-ditch lap to take a stunning pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The world champion was nip and tuck with the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull's Max Verstappen until the final runs of the session only for Hamilton re-set perceptions of the possible to take pole by a massive 0.664 seconds.
Vettel was pipped to second by Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen by just 0.01secs, with the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo fourth and fifth.
Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas crashed at the start of final qualifying and will start 10th at best.
Postpublished at 07:59 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
You can check out more statistics and read Andrew Benson's take on the first qualifying session of the year here.
Still work to dopublished at 07:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Lewis Hamilton's pole-to-win conversion rate isn't great in Australia, he has only turned one of his previous six pole positions into victory.
Only two other drivers have taken pole at the circuit in the last decade - Sebastian Vettel (three) and Jenson Button (one).
Image source, .
Postpublished at 07:56 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
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Alonso happypublished at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Fernando Alonso may not have got involved in the top 10 shootout, but he is feeling positive about doing good things tomorrow from 11th.
"I am happy," he said.
"There is still a lot of performance in the car to unlock and I think McLaren will be quite strong in the coming races."
Hamilton in party mode?published at 07:48 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Bit of needle in the post-qualifying news conference.
Lewis Hamilton mentioned being in party mode after producing that sizzling lap. Asked about that, he said: “I can assure you we don’t have a party mode. I use the same mode from Q2 to the end of Q3. There was no extra button or mode I engaged in.”
“What were you doing before then?," asks Sebastian Vettel.
“I was waiting to put a good lap in and wipe the smile off your face," responds Hamilton.
Postpublished at 07:43 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Check out BBC Sport's Twitter moment on qualifying here., external
Image source, .
Worth a readpublished at 07:41 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Thinking of heading off to crack on with your day? Before you do, here's a few things to check out.
Qualifying resultpublished at 07:35 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Image source, f1.com
Get involved #bbcf1published at 07:30 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
James Doe: Jeeeeeeeeeeeeez! Where did Lewis Hamilton find that from?! What an incredible lap!
Josh Gribby: Hamilton continues to blow you away. What a lap.
Addy YNWA: People should respect Lewis Hamilton from now on. What a driver.
Postpublished at 07:27 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Lewis Hamilton describes that lap - the fastest ever at Albert Park - as close to perfect as he can get. I think he's wrong, it was perfection because I can't see how he could have found more time. Stunning lap.
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'We can be happy'published at 07:25 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Image source, F1.com
Sebastian Vettel, third quickest: "I think we can be happy. I wasn't happy yesterday but it got better in qualifying. I had a little moment in Turn 13 on the last lap. Shame Lewis had quite a big gap in the end but his lap was pretty good.
"I hope they turned it on today as it means they will have to turn it off tomorrow. It is not the easiest place to overtake but you never know."
'A decent job'published at 07:22 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Image source, F1.com
Kimi Raikkonen, second quickest in qualifying: "It was a decent job, obviously the lap time difference is very big, but we have to be happy with where we're starting the race."
'Intense'published at 07:17 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Lewis Hamilton, who secured a record seventh pole position for the Australian Grand Prix: "You would think with these results we have had for years it would feel the norm but it doesn't. That was intense, my heart is racing. I am so happy with that lap.
"What was surprising was to see how quick the Ferraris were."
Image source, F1.com
Qualifying top 10published at 07:13 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
1) Hamilton
2) Raikkonen
3) Vettel
4) Verstappen
5) Ricciardo
6) Magnussen
7) Grosjean
8) Hulkenberg
9) Sainz
10) Bottas
Chequered flagpublished at 07:12 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
LEWIS HAMILTON SECURES POLE POSITION FOR THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX.
Image source, Reuters
Postpublished at 07:12 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
No they can't Kimi Raikkonen is second quickest, six tenths of a second down on Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel is third quickest.
When it mattered, Hamilton delivered and delivered in some style.
Image source, Getty Images
Postpublished at 07:11 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
It's a 1:21.164 for Lewis Hamilton. What a lap! Surely no-one can touch that?
Postpublished at 07:10 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2018
Lewis Hamilton is on his flying lap and he's FOUR tenths of a second up in the first sector!