Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 06:10
The race, which is expected to be wet, will start at 4am (GMT), that’s 3pm in Melbourne.
Lando Norris starts on pole position alongside McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, while Max Verstappen is third on the grid.
Lewis Hamilton is down in eighth for Ferrari, while Charles Leclerc is seventh. Mercedes’ George Russell starts P4.
What will happen in the first race of the new season?!
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 07:30
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 21:01
On one hand, it was pure elation. A member of the McLaren family for eight years, this meant as much to Norris as anyone else. He described it as a “perfect” end to the season, beating Ferrari to the championship by 14 points. And he’d need no invitation; he was going to get “hammered” later that night over the border in Bahrain.
Yet in the same breath, even amid joyous papaya-clad celebrations on the pit-wall, the boy from Bristol could not help but sample that bittersweet taste. “It’s been a special year,” he said over team radio, before adding: “And next year is going to be my year, too.”
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 19:58
For all his stardust, Lewis Hamilton is not always the easiest interviewee.
When he’s on-form, Formula One’s biggest star is thoughtful and genuine, with the ears of everyone in the room fixed on his words. At times, however, particularly in the last three topsy-turvy years at Mercedes, he can be reticent to speak at all.
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 18:56
“Big congrats to the team, amazing job to continue, to start with a 1-2 but it’s just quali – it will be a tricky race but it was the perfect race to start.
“The car is extremely quick, when you put it together it’s unbelievable, little fight between me and Oscar and it was a tough one. You need to take a lot of risk but also get the lap clean, difficult mindset in the final lap but managed to pull it off.
“I’m never going to get ahead of myself, I’m not that kind of guy. We know how quick Max and Red Bull are in the rain, a lot of opportunities for everyone. We’ll see tomorrow.”
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 18:02
Max Verstappen does not have “a chance” of a fifth straight F1 Drivers’ Championship win in 2025, according to former driver Ralf Schumacher.
Schumacher believes Verstappen delivered a “rescue” effort in a struggling Red Bull car last year but he won’t be able to do the same again.
McLaren’s Lando Norris is the favourite to win the title this season and Schumacher is adamant Verstappen will be powerless to stop the Brit and others at the front of the grid.
Speaking on the Sky Germany podcast, Schumacher said: “Last year it was clear. Red Bull was very strong at the start of the season, but then they couldn’t handle the car. Verstappen was the rescue.
“However, he will have to get used to everything coming to an end. I don’t think he has a chance.”
Flo Clifford15 March 2025 17:10
“Obviously, we can’t be satisfied with today’s qualifying result. We didn’t look too bad in Q1 and Q2, as we were one to two tenths off the McLarens.
“However, in Q3, we didn’t do a good job because we didn’t manage to run at the same pace as our opponents and as a result, we find ourselves in positions that do not reflect our true potential.
“Tomorrow’s race could be a completely different scenario, as our pace was good yesterday and the forecast is for rain. The points are handed out tomorrow and we must do a good job now, preparing every last detail.
“I really believe we have the potential to bring home plenty of points.”
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 16:12
“The lap wasn’t great, all in all, we just didn’t have the pace today. We mainly struggled with the balance of the car and putting it all together, so we have some work to do.
“We expect rain and tricky conditions for the race, so we will give it everything and see what’s possible.”
(Getty Images)
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 15:10
“We were in the mix today and that was encouraging. We showed improved speed in FP3 having made some changes overnight.
“Whilst we looked like we were in the fight for pole position at moments in Qualifying, the McLarens were very impressive;
“I think it’s fair to say that they had a couple of tenths advantage over us on the optimal lap.
“Overall, it is a good start to the new season with the W16. It all looks close at the front, and we will see what we can do tomorrow.”
(AP)
Kieran Jackson15 March 2025 14:03
