The F1 2025 Australian GP delivered an exhilarating yet chaotic start to the Formula 1 season. Returning as the season opener, Melbourne lived up to its reputation with wild weather, which shook up the grid, eliminated six drivers, and produced an unexpected top ten. Lando Norris claimed the first victory of the year—an expected result—but it was Williams and Kick Sauber who stole the spotlight with surprise points finishes, proving that this season might not be as predictable as many had thought.
The Paddock Headlines
- Lando Norris secured the first win of the season from pole position and under the rain, with Max Verstappen and George Russell completing the podium.
- Four of the six rookies—Hadjar, Doohan, Lawson, and Bortoleto—crashed out, hitting Albert Park’s unforgiving walls and failing to finish the race.
- Both Spanish drivers—Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso—suffered the same fate, forced to watch the race from the garage after early crashes.
- Kimi Antonelli stunned the paddock, charging from P16 to P4 to finish right behind his teammate Russell and ahead of both Ferraris.
- McLaren dominated the race, while Ferrari faltered with strategy errors, confusing radio messages, and a disappointing P8 and P10 finish.
- Nico Hülkenberg’s P7 for Kick Sauber gave the team more points in one race than they managed in the entire 2024 season.
- Alex Albon delivered a brilliant P5 for Williams, with help from teammate Sainz, who—after his crash—joined the strategy team and played a key role in Albon’s top-five finish.
Practice Sessions Recap – 2025 F1 Australian GP
The opening practice sessions of the 2025 Australian GP gave us our first proper glimpse at the competitive order, and it’s safe to say things are shaping up for an incredibly close fight at the front.
McLaren and Ferrari Lead the Way
McLaren carried the momentum from pre-season testing into the weekend, with Lando Norris topping FP1 and Oscar Piastri leading the way in FP3. Piastri also finished second in FP2, underlining the MCL38’s strong one-lap pace. While they weren’t always the outright fastest, McLaren looked competitive across different track conditions—signaling that they were genuine contenders for pole and the win.
Charles Leclerc proved Ferrari had serious pace, setting the fastest time in FP2 and maintaining a top-five presence in every session. His new teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was slightly less consistent—only breaking into the top five in FP2. However, the team’s performance suggested they remain in the fight at the front, particularly in qualifying conditions.
Mixed Fortunes for Mercedes and Red Bull
Both Mercedes and Red Bull had a mixed start. George Russell secured P2 in FP3, but overall, the Silver Arrows seemed to be playing catch-up. Meanwhile, rookie Kimi Antonelli showed glimpses of promise, finishing fifth in FP3, but was otherwise outside the top 10.
Red Bull, on the other hand, had Max Verstappen finishing in the top five in FP1 and FP3 but struggled with setup changes in FP2, leaving him down in P7. His rookie teammate, Liam Lawson, had a rough start—brushing the wall in FP1 and experiencing technical issues in FP3, which hampered his track time.
Williams—a Surprise Contender
One of the biggest surprises of the weekend was Williams. Carlos Sainz immediately made an impact with his new team, finishing P2 in FP1, while Alex Albon was consistently near the top 10. Their strong showing suggested that Williams could be a dark horse in the midfield battle this season.
Rookie Roundup
With six rookies making their full-time F1 debuts, all eyes were on how they would perform under pressure. Jack Doohan (Alpine), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber), and Ollie Bearman (Haas) all had their moments, but it was a mixed bag:
- Antonelli showed promise with P5 in FP3, his strongest session of the weekend.
- Hadjar impressed in FP2, finishing P6 and outpacing more experienced drivers.
- Bearman had a tough start, crashing heavily in FP1 and then suffering another off in FP3, limiting his track time.
- Lawson struggled with car issues, preventing him from gaining momentum.
All three practice sessions took place under blue skies and warm temperatures, allowing teams to focus on optimising dry-weather setups. However, with rain expected on race day, questions remained about who would have the upper hand when the conditions changed.
Qualifying – The Calm Before the Storm
If there was any doubt that McLaren had arrived in 2025 as title contenders, Lando Norris erased it with a stunning pole position in Melbourne. The Brit edged out home hero Oscar Piastri by just 0.084s, locking out the front row for the reigning Teams’ Champions. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen initially looked like the man to beat, taking provisional pole in Q3 before the McLaren duo surged ahead. George Russell secured a solid P4 for Mercedes, while an impressive Yuki Tsunoda took P5, marking a standout session for Racing Bulls.
McLaren Delivers The Promise
After showing strong pace in practice, McLaren delivered when it mattered most. Piastri briefly had the crowd on their feet with a stunning lap that put him four-tenths clear of Verstappen, but it was Norris who stole the show, putting in a 1m 15.096s lap to take his tenth career pole. The performance not only confirmed McLaren’s qualifying dominance but also hinted at their race-winning potential.
Red Bull on the Back Foot, Ferrari Falters
For the first time in years, Red Bull found themselves chasing rather than leading in qualifying. Verstappen’s P3 was respectable, but his RB21 lacked the edge needed to challenge McLaren. Liam Lawson, making his full-season debut, struggled and was eliminated early in Q1 (P18).
Russell’s P4 put him in the mix for a podium, but it was a tougher session for rookie Kimi Antonelli, who just missed out on Q2 (P16) after a mistake in Q1. The young Italian showed glimpses of promise, and he rose to the occasion on Sunday’s race.
It was not the smoothest qualifying for Ferrari. Despite strong practice performances, neither Charles Leclerc (P7) nor Lewis Hamilton (P8) could challenge at the sharp end. Hamilton also triggered yellow flags in Q2 after a spin, which compromised several drivers’ laps.
Midfield Surprises and Backmarker Struggles
Both Williams and Racing Bulls impressed, with Alex Albon (P6) and Tsunoda (P5) proving that their teams could mix it up in the upper midfield. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz (P10) and Isack Hadjar (P11) also put in strong performances, suggesting a tight midfield battle for points on Sunday.
Both Fernando Alonso (P12) and Lance Stroll (P13) were knocked out in Q2, failing to match the pace of their midfield rivals. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (P9) and Jack Doohan (P14) had better luck, with Gasly making it into Q3.
It was a tough day for both Kick Sauber and Haas, as neither team managed to get a car into Q3. Gabriel Bortoleto (P15) was the only Kick Sauber driver to escape Q1, but he struggled to find pace in Q2 and was eliminated. Nico Hülkenberg (P17) missed out on advancing by a narrow margin, showing the team still has work to do in a tightly packed midfield.
For Haas, it was a qualifying to forget. Esteban Ocon (P19) lacked pace throughout the session, and Ollie Bearman (P20) suffered a gearbox failure, preventing him from setting a lap.
QUALIFYING STARTING 4:
- P1: Lando Norris (McLaren)
- P2: Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- P3: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- P4: George Russel (Mercedes)
READ MORE: 2025 Australian GP – F2 Weekend Roundup
Rain, Crashes, and Redemption: The Australian GP Delivered
Lando Norris kicked off the 2025 season with a mature and commanding victory, proving that the lessons of past mistakes have made him a more complete driver. The McLaren star led from pole, navigated the ever-changing conditions, and held off a late charge from Max Verstappen to claim his fifth career win.
Verstappen, despite lacking the outright fastest car, reminded everyone why he’s a three-time world champion. The Red Bull driver executed a strategic masterclass, capitalising on others’ misfortunes and adapting to the chaos to finish second. Meanwhile, George Russell secured P3 for Mercedes, but the real star of the midfield was rookie Kimi Antonelli, who stormed through the field from P16 to P4, marking himself as the standout of the new generation.
Piastri’s Home Race Heartbreak
While Norris converted pole into victory, it was a bittersweet day for Oscar Piastri. The home hero looked set for P2 but fell victim to the worsening conditions, spinning off and dropping down the order. He salvaged a P9 finish, but what could have been a fairy-tale podium turned into a frustrating end to an otherwise strong performance.
Crashes, Chaos, and Safety Cars
The ever-changing weather made for a dramatic race, with multiple crashes and Safety Cars shaking up the order:
- Isack Hadjar didn’t even make the start, crashing on the formation lap and breaking down in tears on the sidelines. His emotions were met with support from Lewis Hamilton’s father, but Red Bull’s Helmut Marko dismissed it as a “tearful show”—a tone-deaf and callous remark from F1’s resident paddock dinosaur.
- Jack Doohan’s home race also ended in heartbreak as the Alpine driver crashed out just moments after the start, losing control at Turn 5 and bringing out the first Safety Car of the season.
- Carlos Sainz crashed at the final corner as the pack slowed down, due to a “massive power surge” that caused his car to behave unpredictably. But rather than sulking in the garage, he stepped into the Williams pit wall, helping guide Alex Albon to a brilliant P5 finish.
- Fernando Alonso fell victim to bad luck, spinning on gravel left by Pierre Gasly at Turn 7, taking his Aston Martin out of the race.
- Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson also crashed out late in the race, triggering a final Safety Car showdown.
Ferrari Stumbles, Smaller Teams Shine
It was a day to forget for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc (P8) and Lewis Hamilton (P10) both finishing behind smaller teams like Williams and Kick Sauber. The once-mighty Scuderia was outperformed in strategy, pace, and adaptability, raising serious questions (yet again) about their form this season.
On the other hand, Williams and Kick Sauber delivered standout performances. Albon’s top-five finish—aided by Sainz’s tactical input—highlighted Williams’ growing potential, while Nico Hülkenberg’s P7 for Kick Sauber showed that the midfield battle is anything but predictable.
Missed Opportunities and Unlucky Endings
It was all looking good for Yuki Tsunoda to score points, but the tricky conditions saw him drop out of the top ten—a cruel end to a strong drive. Meanwhile, Haas ended the race where they started: at the back. Esteban Ocon (P13) and Ollie Bearman (P14) took all the wrong strategy gambles, ultimately finishing as the last classified runners.
FEATURE RACE STARTING 4:
- P1: Lando Norris (McLaren)
- P2: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- P3: George Russel (Mercedes)
- P4: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
A Thrilling Season Ahead
Norris proved his championship credentials with a flawless drive, but Verstappen showed that Red Bull won’t go down without a fight. With Ferrari stumbling, Williams rising, and rookies like Antonelli making their mark, the 2025 season has already set the stage for an unpredictable and thrilling year ahead.
Next up, Formula 1 heads to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, where the first Sprint Race of the season will add another layer of excitement. Will McLaren keep their momentum, or will Red Bull and Ferrari hit back on a very different circuit? The fight is only just beginning.
FEATURE IMAGE CREDIT: McLaren Racing
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