Valtteri Bottas is set to start the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix from 15th position after incurring a penalty for a gearbox change.
The Mercedes driver suffered a heavy crash in the final segment of qualifying at Albert Park when he lost control through Turns 1 and 2.
Bottas slid into the barriers and caused significant damage to the front and rear of his W09 chassis.
Mercedes has confirmed that the car avoided chassis damage but will require a gearbox change triggering a five-place grid penalty, which will see him drop from 10th to 15th spot for today’s 58-lap race.
Team-mate Lewis Hamilton will start from pole position alongside Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, while Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo will aim to charge through the field from eighth after a three-place grid penalty.
Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley is expected begin his maiden Australian Grand Prix from 16th position.
Race start is 1610 local time/AEDT.
Starting Grid: Australian Grand Prix
| Pos | Num | Driver | Car | Qual time |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:21.164 |
| 2 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:21.828 |
| 3 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1:21.838 |
| 4 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer | 1:21.879 |
| 5 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.187 |
| 6 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas Ferrari | 1:23.339 |
| 7 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | 1:23.532 |
| 8 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer | Penalty |
| 9 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Renault | 1:23.577 |
| 10 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Mclaren Renault | 1:23.692 |
| 11 | 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Mclaren Renault | 1:23.853 |
| 12 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Force India Mercedes | 1:24.005 |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Williams Mercedes | 1:24.230 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Force India Mercedes | 1:24.786 |
| 15 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | Penalty |
| 16 | 28 | Brendon Hartley | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 1:24.532 |
| 17 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber Ferrari | 1:24.556 |
| 18 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Sauber Ferrari | 1:24.636 |
| 19 | 35 | Sergey Sirotkin | Williams Mercedes | 1:24.922 |
| 20 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 1:25.295 |
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