Max Verstappen crashes out in Australian qualifying after 'weird' braking failure

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Verstappen[/a] skidded out at turn one of the lakeside circuit but was ‌unharmed and exited the car, having failed to record a ‌single lap time.[/p][p]"The car just ... locked down the rear axles. Fantastic," the Dutchman ‌said on the team radio.[/p][p]"[b]I didn't speak to the team ‌yet or didn't look into any data, but to lose a car like that on the braking, I've never experienced that in my life[/b]," he told Sky ‌later.[/p][p]"[b]I hit the pedal and suddenly the whole ⁠rear axle just completely locked ‌up. So, definitely a bit weird[/b]."[/p][p]Mercedes driver [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a] took pole position ahead ​of teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Kimi Antonelli[/a].[/p][p]Formula One's new engine era has proved a steep learning curve for drivers, and Verstappen was scathing ​of the changes during the off-season, calling them "anti-racing".[/p][embed guid="dbbbfb2e-3eaf-45f9-b316-3ef9cf2dd423" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2030201787941257317" social-type="twitter" /][p]Condemned to starting near the back of the grid, or in the pit-lane depending on repairs, ⁠Verstappen is now pinning ​his hopes on rivals struggling with the long runs in race conditions on Sunday.[/p][p]"[b]There's so many unknowns, of course, at the moment that we still need to get on top of[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"Yeah, we'll see tomorrow ‌what we can do."[/p][p]In his absence, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a] qualified third.[/p][p]Being Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull has been a poisoned chalice for a slew of drivers, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lawson-liam/nap8RjeO/"]Liam Lawson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsunoda-yuki/tArbpdrf/"]Yuki Tsunoda[/a] both moving on last season.[/p][p]But 21-year-old Frenchman Hadjar was a model of composure during qualifying and said he felt no extra pressure to perform following Verstappen's setback.[/p][p]"[b]I might be P3, but if Max was actually running the whole session then I don’t know if I would be here[/b]," he ‌said.[/p][p]"[b]So that’s a shame. I want to compare myself with the ​best and today that didn’t happen, so we’ll do that ‌next time in China[/b]."[/p][embed guid="17ef4800-5f1b-4d0b-906f-27cfc5756bc3" url="https://x.com/redbullracing/status/2030190681965351149" social-type="twitter" /][p]Hadjar's fastest lap in qualifying was nearly eight-tenths of a second slower than Russell's, and he gave Red Bull no chance of reeling them in Melbourne.[/p][p]"No," he said bluntly.[/p][p]"And I think after turn one, if we keep our position then ⁠we have a good race, ⁠I think.[/p][p]"[b]But yeah, we simply ‌don’t have the pace to win.[/b]"[/p]