Formula 1: Verstappen in front in the last Melbourne training session

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen drove the fastest lap in the last practice session before the Australian Grand Prix.

Formula 1: Verstappen in front in the last Melbourne training session

Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen drove the fastest lap in the last practice session before the Australian Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Dutchman steered his Red Bull around the Melbourne circuit in 1:17.565 minutes on Saturday and landed almost two tenths of a second ahead of ex-champion Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin.

Behind the Spaniard, Frenchman Esteban Ocon finished third in the Alpine racer. Shortly before the following qualifying session, Nico Hülkenberg had to settle for eleventh place in the Haas racing car.

Before the third round of the season at Albert Park on Sunday (7:00 a.m. CEST/Sky), defending champion Verstappen leads the overall standings by one point over his team-mate Sergio Perez. So far, both have won one Grand Prix each. Third is Alonso, Hülkenberg is still waiting for his first World Cup point of the year.

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