05/04/2022
NEWS STORY
Max Verstappen: "I am really looking forward to racing in Australia again, it's been a while! The atmosphere is always so good there too. It will be interesting to see the track updates, I think they will make quite a big difference, especially in turn six where the most significant change has happened. There should be more overtaking opportunities now too which is always positive. It's going to be interesting to see how the car performs in Australia, the track can sometimes be quite dusty. I hope we can have another smooth weekend as a team so let's see what happens on Sunday."
Sergio Perez: "It is great to be back in Melbourne after two years away, it is always a fun place to race. The fans are always great and I am sure they are very excited to have Formula 1 in Australia again. This year the track layout is new so it will be interesting to see how this fresh generation of cars gets on there. I did some simulator work at the beginning of the week on the track and I think the changes should be good for the show, it will make things entertaining. It has been so close in the races so far and the team and I have been unlucky at times, but I am confident that my luck will change this weekend. We have a strong package this season and I can't wait to get in the car again to see what we can do!"
• Oracle Red Bull Racing will be seeking their 75th pole position in Australia, the circuit on which the team made their Grand Prix debut in 2005. On that weekend drivers David Coulthard and Christian Klien qualified 5th and 6th, the best two-car performance for a debut constructor since March 1970.
• Checo became the 103rd driver to take a pole position in Championship history last time out in Jeddah. He also made Mexico the 23rd nation to take pole in the World Championship, the first new nation since Max became the first Dutchman on pole at the 2019 Hungarian GP.
• The 2011 Malaysian GP is the only previous F1 race to have been held on April 10. That race was won from pole position by Seb Vettel for the team, with running mate Mark Webber setting the fastest lap.
• Both Max and Checo made their F1 debuts on the Albert Park track. Max's first start was in the 2015 race for Toro Rosso, while four years earlier Checo had finished seventh on debut with Sauber, only to be disqualified for a technical infringement.
• Max's win in Jeddah was the first victory for a car carrying the number one since Seb Vettel won for the team in the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, the final race of the V8 engine era.