For the second time in three races at the start of the 2022 season, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen will occupy the front row of the grid together.
However, Sunday’s race will also be the first time this season where two Red Bulls will line up in the first three places on the grid. As much as Leclerc will be feeling confident in his Ferrari after taking pole by almost three tenths of a second – a huge gap by 2022 standards thus far – he will likely miss his team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr during the 58 laps around Albert Park as he faces what could be his third race in a row under prolonged attack from the world champion.
“It would have been easier for us to have both cars in the front,” admitted Leclerc after qualifying. “But it’s the way it is and and we’ll try to maximise it anyway.”
After arguably his most promising Friday and Saturday morning of the young season so far, Sainz did not hide is frustration at only being able to take ninth on the grid.
Sainz’s…