World Champion Lewis Hamilton took the first pole position of 2016 as F1's new qualifying format was left in the Australian wilderness.
Hamilton became one of only two other drivers to claim more than 50 poles in F1 as he joined Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher's exclusive club.
However pole had been decided long before the chequered flag had fallen as Bernie Ecclestone's new elimination style qualifying fell flat on its face as the last four minutes of Q3 saw an empty track disappointing fans and pundits alike.
Although exciting throughout the first two sessions the new format failed to work in Q3 as it meant that Ferrari couldn't take a challenge to the Mercedes after both of the Italian teams cars looked set to beat Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton became one of only two other drivers to claim more than 50 poles in F1 as he joined Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher's exclusive club.
However pole had been decided long before the chequered flag had fallen as Bernie Ecclestone's new elimination style qualifying fell flat on its face as the last four minutes of Q3 saw an empty track disappointing fans and pundits alike.
Although exciting throughout the first two sessions the new format failed to work in Q3 as it meant that Ferrari couldn't take a challenge to the Mercedes after both of the Italian teams cars looked set to beat Nico Rosberg.
It was a manic Q1 session to start the new elimination style qualifying format with Manor, Haas and Daniil Kvyat all being caught out by not starting their laps early enough.
This left Pascal Wehrlein, Rio Haryanto and Kvyat all in the pit lane whereas Romain Grosjean and Esterban Gutierrez couldn't finish laps they were on, as the 90 second window had closed.
Qualifying didn't go to plan for Sauber as both Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson were knocked out. The Swede was the last man to go as he battled with Britain's Jolyon Palmer for the last place in Q2.
Once Q2 commenced there was a horrible awakening for the whole pit lane as Mercedes stated to show their hand as Lewis Hamilton went six tenths faster than 3rd placed Sebastian Vettel, showing the extent of their winter testing sandbagging.
This left Pascal Wehrlein, Rio Haryanto and Kvyat all in the pit lane whereas Romain Grosjean and Esterban Gutierrez couldn't finish laps they were on, as the 90 second window had closed.
Qualifying didn't go to plan for Sauber as both Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson were knocked out. The Swede was the last man to go as he battled with Britain's Jolyon Palmer for the last place in Q2.
Once Q2 commenced there was a horrible awakening for the whole pit lane as Mercedes stated to show their hand as Lewis Hamilton went six tenths faster than 3rd placed Sebastian Vettel, showing the extent of their winter testing sandbagging.
Despite surviving Q1, Q2 wasn't meant to be for Renault as Kevin Magnussen and Palmer were the first two cars to be eliminated. They were swiftly followed by the two McLaren's of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.
There was a shock at the end of Q2 with Valtteri Bottas in the Williams only qualifying 11th. With the new format only the top eight go through, which left both Force India's making the top 10 but just missing out on a chance in Q3.
As Q3 began its was obvious that the top midfield teams didn't have the tyre allocation to be able to complete two flying laps. Home favourite Daniel Ricciardo was the first man to bite the Q3 dust as their sister team Toro Rosso out qualified both Red Bulls with Carlos Sainz finishing seventh and Max Verstappen fifth.
Felipe Massa managed to get his Williams to sixth leaving an all Ferrari - Mercedes final four. That was until a radio message to Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen from the Ferrari pit wall that they wouldn't do a second run.
This left just the Mercedes on the track and with four and a half minutes to go Rosberg couldn't beat Hamilton's time to give the Brit a third consecutive pole in Melbourne.
There was a shock at the end of Q2 with Valtteri Bottas in the Williams only qualifying 11th. With the new format only the top eight go through, which left both Force India's making the top 10 but just missing out on a chance in Q3.
As Q3 began its was obvious that the top midfield teams didn't have the tyre allocation to be able to complete two flying laps. Home favourite Daniel Ricciardo was the first man to bite the Q3 dust as their sister team Toro Rosso out qualified both Red Bulls with Carlos Sainz finishing seventh and Max Verstappen fifth.
Felipe Massa managed to get his Williams to sixth leaving an all Ferrari - Mercedes final four. That was until a radio message to Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen from the Ferrari pit wall that they wouldn't do a second run.
This left just the Mercedes on the track and with four and a half minutes to go Rosberg couldn't beat Hamilton's time to give the Brit a third consecutive pole in Melbourne.
2016 Australian Grand Prix Provisional Qualifying Results:-
- Lewis Hamilton 1:23.837
- Nico Rosberg
- Sebastian Vettel
- Kimi Raikkonen
- Max Verstappen
- Felipe Massa
- Carlos Sainz
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Sergio Perez
- Nico Hulkenberg
- Valtteri Bottas
- Fernando Alonso
- Jenson Button
- Jolyon Palmer
- Kevin Magnussen
- Marcus Ericsson
- Felipe Massa
- Daniil Kvyat
- Romain Grosjean
- Esterban Gutierrez
- Rio Haryanto
- Pascal Wehrlein