Verstappen tops final Australian Grand Prix practice at Albert Park

In the final free practice session ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen of Red Bull topped the times for the session at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. The Dutch world champion, who has yet to win an Australian grand prix, produced the fastest lap on soft tires with a time of 1 minute 17.565 seconds. His effort not only crowned him quickest in this session but also carried the momentum from the opening practice held a day earlier. The pace of Verstappen underscored his status as a principal title contender as teams tuned setups for the weekend’s race weekend, aiming to gain favorable balance for the high speed corners and long straights that define this street-to-speed track. This result adds another chapter to Verstappen’s ongoing campaign as he seeks a first Australian victory on his resume, a feat many fans have anticipated as a potential turning point in the season opener stretch. The session showcased a mix of tire choices and strategic runs, with Verstappen setting the benchmark and sending a clear message about the pace available to Red Bull on the Australian circuit. The timing data, derived from official race control measurements, confirmed the margin over the closest rivals and helped teams assess the balance between grip and tire life under the park’s current track conditions.