Live: Follow qualifying for the Australian GP

Follow qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix live with F1i.com.

A new qualifying format will be used for the first time, with a tight battle having emerged between Mercedes and Ferrari during FP3. The only practice session to feature serious dry running saw Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel separated by 0.2s.

Toro Rosso also impressed in final practice, as did Red Bull with a fight expected between those two teams and Williams to reach the final part of qualifying.

The new qualifying system will take place across the same three parts as last season, with Q1 seeing seven cars knocked out. Following an initial eight-minute period, the slowest car will be knocked out at 90-second intervals. In Q2, the same format applies after an initial seven-minute period, leaving eight cars in Q3.

The final part of qualifying will see eliminations start after six minutes until two cars are left fighting it out for pole position.

F1i's live coverage will bring you all the latest information about what is happening on track as well as news and features from the paddock.

Follow qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix LIVE

F1i's Australian Grand Prix preview

2016 F1 season: Team-by-team preview

Julien Billiotte

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