Hamilton eyes Melbourne pole record, 100 club for Vettel? - Australian GP in numbers

Sebastian Vettel stands on the brink of his 100th podium finish and Lewis Hamilton can break another record if he takes pole at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend. Vettel began the 2017 campaign with only his second victory in Melbourne and could bring up a century of top-three finishes on Sunday.

Hamilton opens the defence of his title aiming to become the first driver to start at the front of the grid on seven occasions in Australia. The world champion claimed a sixth pole at Albert Park last year to match the great Ayrton Senna's tally and it would be no surprise if he goes one better on Saturday.

Crunching the numbers

We look at the Opta numbers ahead of the first race of the season. 

1) Hamilton has been on pole in the last four editions of the Australian GP. No driver or team has been on pole five times in a row at this circuit.

2) No Australian driver has either won or been on pole position in the history of the Australian GP (as part of the World Championships, since 1985).

3) Of the last six winners in Melbourne only Hamilton won from pole position, in 2015.

4) No driver has recorded as many fastest laps in Melbourne as Kimi Raikkonen, the last of his six coming 12 months ago.

5) Ferrari have not been on pole in Australia since 2007, with Raikkonen.

6) Daniel Ricciardo has abandoned or been disqualified in three of his six appearances at his home GP. At no other circuit has he suffered as many incidents.

7) Valtteri Bottas recorded back-to-back poles in the final two races of last season for the first time in his career.