The FIA has taken the decision to delay the remaining qualifying sessions, Q2 and Q3, until Sunday morning before the race due to heavy rain.
The session will be restarted at 11am local time (midnight GMT) to decide the grid after heavy downpours delayed qualifying for over 90 minutes before a final decision came from race control to postpone running.
Only the final six positions have been decided after Q1 managed to go ahead, albeit 20 minutes later than scheduled. However that session quickly turned into carnage as several cars span off the circuit, hitting the barriers and littering the track with debris.
Lewis Hamilton span at turn 2, damaging his rear-wing, but he managed to reverse his Mercedes to allow him to return to the pits.
Meanwhile Felipe Massa crashed heavily – but managed to get back to the pits – before Esteban Gutierrez made the same error at the same spot.
Both Caterhams also sustained damage following offs.
Qualifying – 2013 Australian Grand Prix:
| # | Driver | Team | Time | Gap to 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | P. Maldonado | Williams | 1:47.614 | +4.234 |
| 18. | E. Gutierrez | Sauber | 1:47.776 | +4.396 |
| 19. | J. Bianchi | Marussia | 1:48.147 | +4.767 |
| 20. | M. Chilton | Marussia | 1:48.909 | +5.529 |
| 21. | G. van der Garde | Caterham | 1:49.519 | +6.139 |
| 22. | C. Pic | Caterham | 1:50.626 | +7.246 |
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