Verstappen unable to beat Leclerc during FP2 in Australia

The qualifying simulations in the second free practice session suggest there could be an exciting battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen for pole position in Australia. The man from Monaco took home the spoils from FP2 but whether that remains the case for the meaningful session remains to be seen. 

The Dutchman had a far-from-perfect Friday, with floor damage and a late run on the soft tyre. He also set his best lap on used softs. During the race runs, Leclerc was quicker by (an average) of two tenths in the straights, so track position will be important on this circuit. Pole position has won 41% of Grands Prix at Albert Park.

Why Williams have concerns

Albon crashed heavily during the first free practice session, and Williams could not fix the car in time for the second free practice session. Red Bull mechanics also had some work to do at the other end of the grid. Verstappen damaged his floor by going over a kerb in FP1, so they needed to install a new floor. Unlike Albon, Verstappen made it onto the track.

There are some doubts about whether Williams will continue with two cars for the rest of the weekend. The British team doesn't have a spare chassis in Melbourne, so if they cannot make the required repairs, they will only race one car.

Leclerc led after the first 20 minutes before Aston Martin put on the soft tyres. Stroll led an Aston Martin one-two with just over 30 minutes remaining on the clock, but Leclerc soon regained the top spot. His teammate was around four-tenths down. Verstappen was the last of the front runners to try the soft tyres, and he equalled the Spanish driver's time. He went for a second run on the used soft tyres and moved slightly ahead of Sainz. Ultimately, he was 0.381 seconds shy of Leclerc's best time. Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez, finished eighth.

Aston Martin had a good Friday. They couldn't stay at the top of the standings, but both drivers finished inside the top five. Mercedes had a mixed bag, with Russell reaching sixth, and Hamilton not making it out of the bottom five. There was a place inside the top ten for both McLaren drivers.