Hamilton has wet weather homework to do for Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton will be burning the midnight oil to learn Ferrari's rain settings with wet weather forecast for the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, as the Briton continues to get up to speed with his new team.

The season-opening race at Albert Park will be Hamilton's first for the glamour team after winning his seven titles with McLaren and Mercedes.

The 40-year-old struggled for pace during the three practice sessions and qualified only eighth, one place behind teammate Charles Leclerc, in scorching heat at Albert Park on Saturday.

Despite Ferrari's lack of qualifying pace, rain on Sunday could help them make up ground to the McLarens at the front.

"Tomorrow's going to be a challenge, I've never driven this car in the rain," said Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton's spin in Q2!#F1 #Formula1 #AusGPpic.twitter.com/YVsSFsuAYm

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"I don't even know the rain settings so I've got to go and study that tonight. It will be a learning experience again."

McLaren's pole-sitter Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri locked out the front row, with defending champion Max Verstappen third and Mercedes' George Russell fourth.

Hamilton was nearly nine-tenths of a second behind Norris's fastest lap but if the seven-time world champion was disappointed by his car's performance, he hid it well.

"I had a really good time out there today. Everything's been a first this weekend," he said.

"To be that close in my first qualifying session, I'd definitely take it. We'll just get our heads down and start working, trying to find out why we're not on pace with the frontrunners."

Leclerc was less enthused with his car's running in the final session of qualifying.

"The lap wasn't great, all in all, we just didn't have the pace today," said the Monegasque driver.

"We mainly struggled with the balance of the car and putting it all together, so we have some work to do."