The 2025 F1 season kicks off in Melbourne with Norris topping FP1, while Bearman’s crash at Turn 10 brings an early red flag.
The wait is over—Formula 1 is back! The 2025 season roared into action in Melbourne, with drivers getting their first real taste of Albert Park after a busy off-season.
Norris Sets the Pace, Bearman in the Wall
Melbourne greeted the grid with warm temperatures—25°C in the air, 41°C on track—ideal conditions for an intense opening session. Teams wasted no time hitting the circuit, eager to fine-tune their setups.
Max Verstappen was first to lay down a marker, clocking a 1’19″771 on medium tyres. Charles Leclerc slotted in just two-tenths behind, with Oscar Piastri three-tenths off. But it was Lando Norris who raised the bar, posting a 1’18″765—an early sign that there’s plenty more pace to come.
Liam Lawson was the first to have a moment, brushing the wall at Turn 9. No major damage, but enough for his engineers to schedule an inspection.
As times tumbled, Lewis Hamilton climbed to second, ahead of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda. Verstappen briefly reclaimed third before Leclerc hit back with a 1’18″317. Piastri edged into second, while rookie Isack Hadjar impressed in ninth.
Esteban Ocon was pleased with his Haas: “No issues with ride height, everything feels smooth,” confirmed by his race engineer, Laura Müller.
Tight Battle at the Top Before Red Flag Drama
The session intensified as Norris reclaimed the lead with a 1’18″253. Hamilton moved to third, just ahead of Gasly and Sainz. Leclerc then lowered the benchmark to 1’17″880, as Verstappen jumped back into third despite an off-track moment at Turn 7.
George Russell slotted into second, just a tenth off Leclerc, proving how close the leading teams are. With 15 minutes gone, a Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull occupied the top four spots—separated by only four-tenths.
Hadjar briefly took third before a red flag was brought out. Jack Doohan had dragged gravel onto the track at Turns 6 and 7, forcing a pause for clean-up.
Once the session resumed with 35 minutes left, Piastri was first back on track. With Melbourne’s bumpy layout offering less data than Bahrain, teams made the most of every lap.
Turn 6 continued to prove tricky—Piastri repeated Doohan’s mistake, sending more gravel onto the circuit. Meanwhile, Verstappen set the pace with a 1’17″696 on softs. Russell, Sainz, and Antonelli followed suit, switching to the faster compound.
Russell improved to within 0.020s of Verstappen, while Sainz climbed to fourth. Antonelli moved into eighth, Gasly slotted 11th after a scare at Turn 11, and Alonso, on mediums, claimed fifth.
Sainz then put in a 1’17″401 to take P1, just 0.060s ahead of Leclerc—both on softs. But moments later, the session came to a sudden halt.
Big Crash for Bearman
Oliver Bearman brought out the second red flag after a heavy crash. The young Haas driver lost control at Turn 10 and slammed into the barriers. Thankfully, he emerged unscathed, but his car suffered serious damage—an early test of resilience in his rookie campaign.
Norris Ends FP1 on Top
With 11 minutes remaining, the green flag was waved, and drivers had one last push. Norris climbed back to third, while Hamilton reported struggles with the car’s rotation. Bortoleto improved to 12th, just ahead of Doohan and Gasly.
Aston Martin fitted softs, while Sainz reverted to mediums after his best lap on softs. Stroll grabbed eighth, Alonso edged just ahead, and Norris found even more pace—clocking a session-best 1’17″252. Albon slotted into sixth, while Tsunoda broke into the top 10. Russell had a harmless off at Turn 4 but avoided any damage.
As the chequered flag fell, Norris sealed the fastest time, ahead of a surprising Sainz and Leclerc. Piastri and Verstappen completed the top five, with Albon, Russell, Alonso, Hadjar, and Stroll rounding out the top 10.
Hamilton finished 12th, ahead of Doohan, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Lawson, and Gasly. The two Haas drivers, Ocon and Bearman, closed the standings after Bearman’s crash.
The action continues with FP2 at 5 AM UTC time—expect another shake-up as teams dial in their setups!
Australian GP FP1 Times
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:17.252 | 21 |
| 2 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:17.401 | 25 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:17.461 | 21 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:17.670 | 20 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:17.696 | 21 |
| 6 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:17.921 | 18 |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes W16 | 1:17.716 | 26 |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:17.736 | 23 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:17.847 | 25 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:18.057 | 20 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:18.061 | 23 |
| 12 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:18.071 | 20 |
| 13 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:18.232 | 20 |
| 14 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes W16 | 1:18.390 | 25 |
| 15 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:18.438 | 22 |
| 16 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:18.455 | 22 |
| 17 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:18.505 | 23 |
| 18 | Nico Hülkenberg | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:18.586 | 18 |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:19.139 | 16 |
| 20 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:19.312 | 12 |
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Norris Leads FP1 – Bearman Crashes as F1 2025 Roars to Life Norris Leads FP1 – Bearman Crashes as F1 2025 Roars to Life
