OFFICIAL GRID: Ferrari, McLaren out to swarm Verstappen as Zhou starts from pit lane

Max Verstappen may be on pole, but with a three-place grid penalty demoting Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez to P6 on the grid, the world champion will have no rear-gunner in the run into Turn 1 in Melbourne, putting Ferrari and McLaren very much in the mix to take the early lead at Albert Park.

REPORT: Verstappen surges to pole position for the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Sainz and Perez

Carlos Sainz – in top form, despite missing the last round in Saudi Arabia with appendicitis – lines up alongside Verstappen on the front row, the McLaren of Lando Norris splitting him from Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc.

READ MORE: Perez handed three-place grid penalty for Australian Grand Prix after impeding incident

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri will be gunning for home glory from P5. In contrast, compatriot Daniel Ricciardo faces a fightback from P18, the RB man having been dumped out in Q1 in qualifying after his best lap was ruled out for exceeding track limits. It wasn’t all bad news for RB, though, with Yuki Tsunoda excelling to put his car eighth ahead of the two Aston Martins.

Only 18 cars will actually line up on the Australian Grand Prix grid. Williams withdrew Logan Sargeant earlier in the weekend so that team mate Alex Albon can use the American’s chassis after Albon’s was damaged beyond immediate repair in his Friday practice crash.

And Zhou Guanyu, who had qualified 19th and last, will begin his race from the pit lane after Kick Sauber modified the Chinese driver's machine whilst under parc ferme conditions.

The 2024 Australian Grand Prix starts at 1500 local time. Be sure to join our live coverage from 1400 here.