Max Verstappen has the opportunity to make history on Sunday, and as unlikely as it may sound given his performance in Formula One over the last year, the odds are against him.
Verstappen topped only one session all weekend: Q3 in the battle for pole.
Throughout practice and the first two qualifying segments, the reigning world champion’s success was not guaranteed.
On Friday, he fractured his floor and lost a lot of valuable track time.
On Saturday afternoon, he struggled to find a grip on the Pirelli soft tire, the most delicate in the lineup, with overheating an issue even in the cold, gloomy circumstances.
But, as he frequently does, the Dutchman and his Red Bull Racing team came together when it needed most, delivering not one but two laps good enough to clinch a third straight pole position.
Without spoiling the atmosphere, starting from pole position is a strong predictor of a race win at Albert Park.
Since the race moved to Melbourne, 11 of the 26 champions have started on pole, for a 42 percent success rate. That figure jumps to 100%—two out of two—ffor races run on the new track layout.
The overall strike rate increases to 65% for drivers starting in the first row and 88% for those starting in the first two rows.
If you want to be optimistic about a less predictable outcome, there has only been one repeat victor in Australia in the last ten editions: Sebastian Vettel in 2017 and 2018.
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The potential reward for another pole is significant.
Verstappen is on the verge of winning his tenth Grand Prix in a row, equaling the Formula One record for most consecutive victories.
Verstappen holds the current record, having won ten Grand Prix between Miami and Monza last season.
In Australia, he may be the first man to do it twice.
remarkable, horrific history.
