F1 LIVE: Will Verstappen beat Norris in the rain again? 2025 Australian Grand Prix
The first round of the championship will be a wet weather race, that will see the drivers complete 58 laps around the semi-permanent circuit of Albert Park: it's the Australian Grand Prix
F1 LIVE: The 2025 Australian Grand Prix
As it stands
Lando Norris will start the race from pole position with his teammate, local hero, Oscar Piastri, next to him in the front row. Behind them, wet weather master driver, Max Verstappen, will start in third, with Mercedes driver George Russell beside him on the second row. Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda pulled off a majestic lap which earned him a well deserved sport in the top five, with Thai Williams driver, Alexander Albon starting on the inside in P6.
Ferrari fell short of the promise shown in the first two practice sessions, however this might have something to do with their 2024 struggles to bring their tyres up to temperature in qualifying, but on the upside it would mean kinder degradation levels, although, with the inclement weather that is afflicting Melbourne at the moment, who's to say this will be as big an advantage as it would otherwise be in dry.
It was not the best days for the rookies. Well, for most. Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto defeated veteran Nico Hulkenberg and got himself into Q2 in a Sauber that many have said, by rights, should not have made it past the Q1 threshold. Andrea Kimi Antonelli had beginner's bad luck. The Mercedes driver looking to maximise performance on the exit of Turn 6, used up all the track and went over over the kerbs, which caused damage to his floor, rendering him unable to improve and was thus knocked out in Q1.
Fellow rookie, Liam Lawson failed to make it out of Q1 as well. With pressure mounting on him, he had a scruffy last push lap that ended with him entering the pits after he had gone off the track and into the grass on the exit of turn 13. Jack Doohan was soundly beaten by his teammate yet again, following the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which does not do him any favors certainly, what with all the rumours surrounding his seat and Alpine reserve, Franco Colapinto.
These narratives and more will be played out today as the drivers get ready to take the track for the first time this season: it's the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.
Imperious form from Lando. Got off the line best, kept Max at bay in the wet and kept him behind even when Max had DRS. Max needed a SC and a car going off to help him. Not quite Brazil 2024 was it? :) If Lando can eek out more of a gap in China, then Max will have to think twice before going to a push off on Norris after that.
Great drive by Lando..... Ferrari strategy still lacking. Good job by Kimi Stroll with the points!
This is chaos :) Dunno why Ferrari didn't pit at the end of lap 46
Alonso will be sulking in the media again after that, wonder if he'll be sarcastic this time? Car goes bang, crash, wallop this time.
I don’t think it will advantage max. He was 15 sec down on McL and 15 sec up. No way, he’s got the pace to challenge McL without destroying his tires. Like we saw in stint 1
Yes, but Max's gap won't be 15s to the McLarens on the restart.
Yes luckily Norris kept it under control in the wet and the dry. Max was one McLaren car twitch away from going for a pass. Norris didn't give him that opportunity.
No sweat, Norris had everything under control. Just stick to the drying line and keep up the pace. Despite being close to Lando, Max did not have a sniff to actually attempting an overtake.
"No indeed, but I do think Max not will be able to challenge Norris. " ......
No indeed, but I do think Max not will be able to challenge Norris. In stint 1 Norris was just managing his pace to keep the inters alive. Whilst Max destroyed his inters. Now he can go all out till the end of the race.
F1TV timings just not showing the gaps enough. When was the last time they showed that?
They must have an issue as the times weren't changing when it was up...... Oops indeed : )
So can Pirelli not make a decent non-dry tyre? The amount of times we've raced in the rain in the past and just got on with it. Now Brundle is crying for a red flag. I can imagine why.
Jeez, these rookies are messing things up. Norris pulled out hell of a gap initially.
Why on earth did AM decide to put stroll on wets?! They got away with it as they were able to change tires after the aborted start.
Yep, they did. That’s why I mentioned that they got away with it :)
Hajar fell victim of the white bicycle lines. Damn he had me tearing up . Pure class from Anthony Hamilton giving him encouragement and support.
Anything is possible. Although I think that McLaren & RedBull ran a very low downforce setup so that's possibly gonna be challenging . My bet is that AM and Ferrari and Racing Bull's may be the surprise in the wet
Max live the wet weather in racing if you look at land last year in the rain he not confident
I dont think rbr has set car up for wet but i could be wrong on that vegan .and i dont know what other teams got cars set
I not hear that mate making coffee thanks for that info mate it dont look as bad as brazil last year with rain
Popular on GPBlog
FP3 at Suzuka: Will Verstappen and Red Bull turn their weekend around?
F1 Full Results | Japanese Grand Prix FP3: Norris leads McLaren one-two ahead of qualifying
Problems at Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar experiencing cockpit struggles
