Piastri leads thrilling final practice at home Australian GP
Oscar Piastri topped the final practice session at the Australian Grand Prix, setting a benchmark time of 1m 15.921s, just 0.006s slower than last year's pole position time.
George Russell claimed second place, only 0.039s behind Piastri, with Max Verstappen in third, 0.081s off the pace. The top three were separated by less than 0.1s, setting up an exciting qualifying battle.
Red Bull Racing faced mixed fortunes as Liam Lawson's session ended early due to a power unit issue, while Charles Leclerc placed fourth for Ferrari, expressing concerns about his car's oversteer.
F1 car racing at high speed
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli impressed with fifth place, followed by Williams teammates Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in sixth and seventh respectively. Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lando Norris completed the top 10.
Notable incidents included Oliver Bearman's second crash in two days, leaving him with minimal track time before qualifying. The rookie spun off after clipping grass on approach to turn 11, though he avoided barrier contact.
The session's results suggest a closely contested qualifying ahead, with multiple teams showing competitive pace and the potential for surprises in the final grid order.
F1 Australian GP Practice 3 Results