After struggling with setup issues through Australian Grand Prix practice, Max Verstappen was surprised by his Red Bull car's performance on Saturday as the Formula One defending champion took third place in qualifying for the season-opening race.

Yuki Tsunoda was one of the stand-out performances in Australia, qualifying in a fantastic 5th for VCARB. The Japanese driver was in contention for a top 6 finish on race day, only for a strategic blunder at VCARB’s pit-wall to cost him.

Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson react to Liam Lawson's opening two practice sessions in Australia.

Formula One defending champion Max Verstappen downplayed Red Bull's chances at Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, saying the car is slower than their rivals and still working through some issues.

Liam Lawson’s Red Bull Racing debut proved a difficult weekend for the Kiwi, ending in the wall as he crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix. Making his full-time F1 debut as a Red Bull driver, Lawson was knocked out in Q1 in Melbourne after mistakes on his flying laps – and his race day also proved a gruelling affair.

It was a mixed bag of a curtain raiser for Red Bull Racing as Max Verstappen just missed out on victory in the Australian Grand Prix, while debutant Liam Lawson crashed out. Reigning world champion Verstappen was trapped between McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for much of the opening stint in wet conditions in Melbourne,

Liam Lawson's career with Red Bull Racing did not have the best of starts in Melbourne, Australia. After getting eliminated in Q1, the New Zealander also crashed his car. Here is how the driver reacted to his result.