Event: Australian Grand Prix
Track: Albert Park Circuit
Weather: dry 31°C
Tarmac: dry 41°C
Humidity: 39%
Wind: 0 km/h
Norris Seizes Pole as McLaren Locks Out Front Row in Melbourne
A Thrilling Start to the 2025 F1 Season
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off with an electrifying qualifying session at Albert Park, as Lando Norris stormed to pole position in dominant fashion. McLaren delivered a statement of intent by securing a front-row lockout, with Oscar Piastri claiming second place in front of his home crowd. Max Verstappen, who struggled throughout Friday, managed to salvage third place for Red Bull, setting the stage for a thrilling season opener.
McLaren in Command, Norris Delivers
Lando Norris put in a sensational lap of 1m 15.096s, a staggering eight-tenths quicker than last year’s pole time. The Brit showcased his one-lap prowess, edging out his teammate Piastri by just 0.084s. McLaren’s resurgence continued to impress, confirming the team’s strong pre-season form.
Despite missing out on pole, Piastri remained upbeat. "It’s a great way to start the season. Maybe I left a little bit on the table, but it’s a long year," the Australian remarked.
Verstappen Recovers, Ferrari Falters
Max Verstappen had endured a difficult Friday, with the RB21 appearing unstable. However, overnight adjustments paid off, and the reigning world champion secured P3, just 0.065s ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. "Quali laps are always exciting, but dry or wet, anything can happen tomorrow," Verstappen said, alluding to the ominous rain forecast for the race.
Meanwhile, Ferrari had a tough session, with Charles Leclerc only managing seventh and Lewis Hamilton slotting into eighth. Both drivers struggled with rear-end grip, hinting at possible setup issues that could haunt them in race conditions.
Surprise Performers: Tsunoda and Albon Shine
One of the biggest shocks of qualifying came from Yuki Tsunoda, who delivered a stunning lap to put his Racing Bull in P5. Alex Albon also impressed, securing P6 for Williams. Both drivers punched well above their weight, making the midfield battle even more intriguing heading into race day.
Early Exits: Antonelli and Bearman Out in Q1
Rookie Kimi Antonelli endured a rough qualifying debut for Mercedes, getting knocked out in Q1 alongside Nico Hülkenberg, Liam Lawson, Esteban Ocon, and Oliver Bearman. Bearman’s woes continued after a gearbox issue prevented him from setting a time, capping off a nightmare weekend for the Haas team.
Q2 saw another set of big names fall by the wayside, with Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, Jack Doohan, and Gabriel Bortoleto missing out on the top 10. Isack Hadjar came agonizingly close in P11, but his impressive effort highlighted the potential of the Racing Bulls.
Weather Set to Shake Up Race Day
While McLaren may have dominated qualifying, the real challenge lies ahead. A storm is brewing over Melbourne, with an 80% chance of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms expected during the race. Such conditions could play into Verstappen’s hands, given his wet-weather prowess. However, with a narrow track and unpredictable conditions, the season opener could be a chaotic affair.
Looking Ahead: A Battle in the Rain
With Norris leading a McLaren front-row lockout, Verstappen lurking in third, and a storm on the horizon, the first race of the 2025 season is shaping up to be a classic. Will McLaren convert their one-lap pace into race-winning form? Can Verstappen defy the odds in the wet? And will the surprise performers in qualifying hold their ground? The answers await as the lights go out in Melbourne.
The fastest sectors driven during Q3 were:
- Sector 1: 25.961 sec by Lando Norris (McLaren MCL38)
- Sector 2: 16.915 sec by Max Verstappen (Red Bull RB21)
- Sector 3: 32.138 sec by Lando Norris (McLaren MCL38)
The pole position time of last season in Melbourne was a 1:15.915 driven by Max Verstappen in the Red Bull RB20.
Quali Times 2025 Australian GP
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:15,912 | 1:15,415 | 1:15,096 | 20 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:16,062 | 1:15,468 | 1:15,180 | 18 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:16,018 | 1:15,565 | 1:15,481 | 17 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:15,971 | 1:15,798 | 1:15,546 | 21 |
| 5 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:16,225 | 1:16,009 | 1:15,670 | 18 |
| 6 | 23 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:16,245 | 1:16,017 | 1:15,737 | 21 |
| 7 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:16,029 | 1:15,827 | 1:15,755 | 20 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:16,213 | 1:15,919 | 1:15,973 | 23 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:16,328 | 1:16,112 | 1:15,980 | 21 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:16,360 | 1:15,931 | 1:16,062 | 21 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:16,354 | 1:16,175 | 12 | |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:16,288 | 1:16,453 | 13 | |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:16,369 | 1:16,483 | 15 | |
| 14 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1:16,315 | 1:16,863 | 15 | |
| 15 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:16,516 | 1:17,520 | 13 | |
| 16 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:16,525 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Sauber | 1:16,579 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | 1:17,094 | 7 | ||
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:17,147 | 9 | ||
| NC | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | DNS | 1 |
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Antonelli's failure to reach Q2 was at least down to car damage from gravel contact & he still out-qualified Lawson.
Sauber was a positive surprise, while Haas is surprisingly the outright slowest for now.
Unsurprisingly a McLaren front-row lockout, so their race victory to lose, although with Max right behind & the race being wet in all likelihood, anything's possible.
Williams ultimately proved as good as expected based on testing, I doubt anyone saw P5 coming for VCARB, & Doohan fared better relative to Gasly than anticipated, which is bad news for Flav, but early days.
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