Leclerc Sets the Pace as Hamilton Finds His Feet in Ferrari Debut at Australian GP
Alright, F1 fans, the 2025 season is off to an electrifying start at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne! The first practice sessions have wrapped up, and we’re already getting a glimpse of the competitive landscape for the year ahead.
The big headline? Charles Leclerc was the fastest in second practice, leading the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. But the real story everyone is talking about? Lewis Hamilton, now in Ferrari red, finishing the session in fifth place.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, was 0.42 seconds slower than his teammate Leclerc. That gap might not seem huge, but throughout the day, Leclerc looked more comfortable in the car. In the first session, Ferrari was somewhat mixed, with Hamilton going third fastest while Leclerc was down in 12th. By the second session, though, Leclerc turned up the heat, showing strong pace on both short and long runs. Meanwhile, Hamilton was struggling a bit, even reporting over the radio that he was having trouble turning the car.
But it wasn’t just about Ferrari. The McLarens were flying, with Piastri just 0.124 seconds behind Leclerc and Norris only 0.017 seconds further back. That’s razor-thin margins, proving McLaren has carried over their momentum from last season. And speaking of surprises, Yuki Tsunoda in the Racing Bull team threw his car into fourth place, ahead of Hamilton and even Max Verstappen, who could only manage sixth in his Red Bull.
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Verstappen, the reigning world champion, wasn’t feeling too confident after practice. His best time came on the medium tires, and when he tried a flying lap on the softs, he struggled with grip. His words? “The balance wasn’t even completely out, but somehow the grip just wasn’t coming alive.” That’s a rare admission from the dominant force of the last few seasons. However, with rain expected on race day, Verstappen’s legendary wet-weather skills could still put him right in the fight for victory.
In the midfield battle, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg impressed with eighth place, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top ten. Speaking of Mercedes, it was an up-and-down day for them. Russell showed strong pace on medium and hard tires but struggled on the softs, admitting that they need to understand why their performance drops off. Meanwhile, rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was significantly behind his teammate, showing that the young Italian still has a learning curve ahead.
One of the biggest incidents of the day came from Haas rookie Oliver Bearman. The 19-year-old Briton had a heavy crash in FP1 at Turn 10, damaging his car so badly that he couldn’t take part in FP2. Not the way he wanted to start his first full season in Formula 1, but he’ll be looking to bounce back in qualifying.
Off-track, there was major news as well. All 10 teams have now signed their commercial agreements with F1, committing to the sport until 2030. That means stability for the sport, but teams still need to finalize their deals with the FIA, which could take some time.
So, what does all this mean for the race ahead? Leclerc looks fast, McLaren is right there with him, Hamilton is still getting to grips with the Ferrari, and Verstappen is lurking despite his struggles. And with the possibility of rain shaking things up on Sunday, this is shaping up to be an unpredictable and thrilling start to the 2025 season.
Strap in, because the Australian Grand Prix is just getting started!
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