A Mercedes front-row lockout was widely expected - and that is exactly what unfolded - but the gap to their closest rivals turned out to be even larger than many had predicted heading into the weekend.

Pole-sitter Russell finished a staggering eight tenths clear of the first non-Mercedes car, with that honour going to Isack Hadjar. On his first qualifying appearance for Red Bull, the Frenchman delivered an eye-catching performance by putting the RB22 third on the grid.

Mercedes finally showed their true hand in qualifying after keeping a low profile during testing, displaying a clear advantage in both straight-line speed and energy deployment compared to the rest of the field. As a result, the British driver will start tomorrow’s Grand Prix from pole position.

The four-time world champion once again made clear how unhappy he is with Formula 1’s new regulations after a disastrous qualifying session in Melbourne, where his run ended in Q1 following a heavy and rather unusual crash at Turn 1.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Verstappen admitted he was still unsure what had triggered the incident, explaining that as soon as he pressed the pedal the entire rear axle suddenly locked - something he described as extremely strange for a Formula 1 car and an issue he had never experienced before in his career.

When asked whether the real car felt even worse than in the simulator, Verstappen said the problems had already been evident there as well, to the point where the driving experience was so unpleasant it almost made him not want to get behind the wheel.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the Dutchman acknowledged he is already mentally preparing himself for what he expects to be a long and difficult year, adding that the current situation leaves him feeling completely devoid of emotion.