Australian Grand Prix 2024 — Weekend Preview

Round 3 of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship takes the field to Melbourne, Australia. Australian Grand Prix — Where the Season Begins. Max Verstappen leads the championship with 51 points, 15 points ahead of Sergio Perez.

Driver Championship (entering R3):
P1: Max Verstappen — 51 pts (2W, 2P)
P2: Sergio Perez — 36 pts (0W, 2P)
P3: Charles Leclerc — 28 pts (0W, 1P)
P4: George Russell — 18 pts (0W, 0P)
P5: Oscar Piastri — 16 pts (0W, 0P)

Constructor Championship:
P1: Red Bull Racing — 87 pts
P2: Ferrari — 49 pts
P3: McLaren — 28 pts
P4: Mercedes — 26 pts
P5: Aston Martin — 13 pts

Melbourne is steeped in motorsport history.

Recent winners at Melbourne:
- 2026: George Russell (Mercedes)
- 2025: Lando Norris (McLaren)
- 2024: Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
- 2023: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2022: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

5 different winners in the last 5 years — no driver has dominated this circuit recently.

Tyre strategy data will be available after practice sessions provide degradation information.

Battles to watch:

Championship battle: Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez — 15 points separate them.

P3 vs P4: Charles Leclerc (28) vs George Russell (18) — just 10 points apart.
P4 vs P5: George Russell (18) vs Oscar Piastri (16) — just 2 points apart.
P5 vs P6: Oscar Piastri (16) vs Carlos Sainz (15) — just 1 points apart.