First Free Practice Results 2025 Australian F1 GP

Event: Australian Grand Prix
Track: Albert Park Circuit

Norris Leads Eventful First Practice as F1 Returns in Melbourne

The 2025 Formula 1 season officially roared into action with the opening practice session at Albert Park, Melbourne, setting the stage for an exciting Australian Grand Prix weekend. Under warm and sunny conditions, teams and drivers got their first taste of competitive running, with McLaren’s Lando Norris emerging fastest after an eventful FP1 session.

McLaren Tops the First Session

Lando Norris delivered an impressive late lap to top the timesheets with a 1m17.252s, narrowly edging out Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by 0.149s. Sainz had looked set to claim the fastest time, but Norris’ late push ensured McLaren kicked off their campaign in style. Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three for Ferrari, just 0.060s further back.

While the times suggest a competitive fight at the front, the session was heavily disrupted, meaning the true pecking order remains unclear.

Red Flags and Rookie Woes

The first session of the season was anything but smooth, with two red flag interruptions. The first stoppage came early on when an Alpine dragged gravel onto the circuit, requiring track marshals to sweep it away.

The second, more dramatic, red flag was caused by Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, who suffered a heavy crash. The young Brit lost control after taking too much kerb, sending his car spinning through the gravel before hitting the barriers. Fortunately, he emerged unharmed, but his Haas sustained significant damage to both the front and rear, leaving the team’s mechanics with a lengthy rebuild before FP2.

Mixed Fortunes for the Big Names

Lewis Hamilton, in his much-anticipated Ferrari debut, had a relatively quiet session, finishing outside the top three. The seven-time world champion did not show his full hand, with red flags disrupting his soft-tyre run.

Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, briefly topped the times before the session was halted, but ultimately ended outside the top three as well. Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, in his first official outing as Verstappen’s teammate, had a session to forget after clipping the wall and later damaging his floor by running through gravel.

Meanwhile, Mercedes endured a scrappy session, with George Russell running wide at Turn 4 and coming to a stop after dropping a wheel onto the grass. The Brit was able to recover, but his off-track moment summed up a slightly messy hour for the Silver Arrows.

Alonso and Aston Martin Continue Development Work

Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin appeared to be using FP1 as an extension of their pre-season testing programme. The Spaniard ran flow-vis paint on his front wing, suggesting the team is still gathering aerodynamic data rather than focusing on outright lap times. He finished eighth, just ahead of his teammate.

Piastri and Doohan Shine at Home

Local hero Oscar Piastri had a solid start to his home race weekend, finishing within the top five. His McLaren looked competitive from the outset, and his battle with teammate Norris could be one to watch as the weekend progresses.

Jack Doohan, making his first home Grand Prix appearance with Alpine, impressed by slotting into 12th place. Given the challenging conditions and the disruptions caused by red flags, it was a respectable effort from the Australian rookie.

Looking Ahead to FP2

With soaring temperatures expected on Saturday and potential rain looming for Sunday, teams will need to adapt their strategies accordingly. FP2, which kicks off at 16:00 local time, is likely to feature more race simulations and long runs as teams prepare for a potentially unpredictable Australian Grand Prix.

Will Ferrari and McLaren maintain their strong form? Can Red Bull bounce back after an underwhelming first session? All eyes will be on the second practice session as the 2025 season continues to unfold in Melbourne.

Last year's fastest lap in FP1 was clocked at 1:18.564 by Lando Norris, skilfully manoeuvring his McLaren around the demanding track.

FP1 Times Table 2025 Australian GP

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