By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief
Jolyon Palmer has called out Renault after a rough Saturday came to a halt after a last place result in qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Brit took blame for his crash in second practice on Friday, which forced the team to rebuild the R.S.17. However, Palmer struggled with pace in FP3, ending the session 19th before the day worsened in qualifying.
With a lap at 1 minute, 28.244 seconds, Palmer was well over a second off the next slowest car, which was the Williams driven by rookie Lance Stroll.
Palmer will start ahead of Stroll due to a five-place grid penalty as a result of a gearbox change after his crash in FP3.
“We had a fuel surge on the first run, so I didn’t do a lap,” said Palmer. “My second lap was the first of the weekend on ultrasoft (tires) and to be honest the car was awful.
“Yesterday the car was feeling good before I crashed, which was my bad, but I was really happy with the car at least and showing something sensible in the lap times.
“Today, the car was put back together, I have to thank the guys, but it’s actually a disaster. I’m a second off what I did on my second lap in FP1, which is pretty terrible.
“The brakes are terrible, the balance is pretty horrible and the traction is terrible.”
