Yuki Tsunoda standout performer in Australian qualifying: how he defeated Ferrari in Q3. Yuki Tsunoda was one of the standout performers in Australian GP qualifying.

A superstar performance from Yuki Tsunoda in Australia. The Japanese driver will start from the fifth spot on the grid tomorrow—an unexpected result, but he explained how he managed to put the lap together.

His Racing Bulls set the fastest time of 1:15.670 in the crucial final moments of Q3, securing a third-row start ahead of Alex Albon in an impressive Williams, as well as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who qualified seventh and eighth, respectively.

Satisfied with the result, Yuki Tsunoda praised his team for providing him with a car capable of fighting for a top-five finish. “I can confidently say it was a magical lap,” he told F1.com. “I think I managed to put everything together. The quality of the lap was the best among all the runs I’ve done this week.”

Explaining how he managed to “outsmart” both Ferraris, Yuki Tsunoda revealed that he received a “little help” from Lando Norris with “a slipstream up to Turn 9.”

This allowed him to complete the lap that secured him fifth place for Sunday’s race. “I’m very happy, but the car’s pace has also been consistently strong all week, which gave me extra confidence for qualifying,” he added. “A lot of credit goes to the team—they worked hard during the offseason, and now I’m happy.”

Rain is expected in Melbourne tomorrow, but the Racing Bulls driver isn’t worried. His team has already optimized the setup: “Actually, even in wet conditions, we’re already somewhat prepared for this. We also found a setup compromise.” – he pointed out – “So even in the rain, I feel quite confident. I’m excited for tomorrow, but at the same time, it will be tricky. There’s some excitement, a bit of a thrill. But I’m P5 in qualifying—I can’t complain.” – the Japanese driver concluded.