Just 40 minutes before the race, Oscar Piastri exited the pit lane for the customary warm-up laps to the grid as teams completed final checks before taking their starting positions.
But as Piastri exited Turn 4, a left-hander, he suddenly lost control of his McLaren while navigating the kerbs, sending the MCL40 spinning and into the left-side barrier.
Piastri emerged unharmed, but the impact severely damaged the front of his McLaren, with terminal damage to the right-front wheel and suspension, forcing the Australian driver to stop his car on track as he walked away dejected.
Piastri had qualified fifth for his home race and was set to share the third row with teammate Lando Norris.
The crash was a devastating blow for Australian fans, with a record crowd having turned out to support the Melbourne native. The completely sold-out Piastri grandstand on the main straight, overlooking the McLaren garage, fell silent as the incident unfolded.
George Russell of Mercedes will start from pole position at Albert Park, alongside teammate Kimi Antonelli, with Isack Hadjar of Red Bull in third.
VIDEO: Oscar Piastri’s Crash Before the Australian GP
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