Lando Norris narrowly edged Carlos Sainz to secure the top spot at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix FP1 while rookie Oliver Bearman suffered a huge crash.
The 2025 F1 season officially commenced with the opening practice session (FP1) held at Melbourne’s iconic Albert Park Circuit. Under clear skies and warm temperatures, the drivers returned to action after months of anticipation, delivering an eventful session that set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling season ahead.
McLaren’s Lando Norris emerged as the fastest driver in Australian Grand Prix FP1, narrowly beating Williams’ Carlos Sainz while rookie Oliver Bearman experienced a dramatic crash in his Haas VF-25 that brought out one of two red flags during the session.
As the pit lane opened, Nico Hulkenberg was the first to take to the track, debuting for Sauber with an aero rake fitted to his car for data collection.
Soon after, all 20 drivers joined the fray eager to test their cars on lower fuel levels and soft tires. Among them was Lewis Hamilton, who debuted in Ferrari’s iconic red following his much-discussed switch from Mercedes.
However, the seven-time world champion’s performance drew significant attention, as he navigated early challenges to finish down in 12th.
Max Verstappen initially set the pace in his heavily upgraded Red Bull RB21, clocking a time of 1:19.771 before improving further to 1:17.696 later in the session. The Dutchman’s car featured 17 changes from its predecessor most of which were performance-oriented upgrades aimed at maintaining Red Bull’s dominance.
However, it was Carlos Sainz who temporarily seized P1 with an impressive lap of 1:17.401 in his Williams before Lando Norris eclipsed him in the final moments with a blistering lap of 1:17.252.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc placed third for Ferrari, showcasing consistent pace throughout Australian Grand Prix FP1. Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri also impressed in front of his home crowd, finishing fourth and adding further optimism for McLaren’s campaign this year.
Alex Albon delivered a strong performance for Williams, securing sixth place and demonstrating that Williams might be a competitive force this season.
The Australian Grand Prix FP1 session was not without incidents. Rookie Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash in his Haas VF-25 after losing control at Turns 9 and 10.
Bearman ran wide onto the gravel before oversteering upon reentry to the track and slamming into the wall. This marked the first major accident of the season and resulted in significant damage to both the front and rear of his car.
Bearman was unharmed but expressed disappointment over radio communications following the incident. Haas now faces a race against time to repair his car ahead of FP2.
Another notable moment involved Red Bull’s Liam Lawson lightly brushing the wall at Turn 9 earlier in the session. Fortunately, Lawson continued without issue and finished 16th overall.
Gravel on the track also caused disruptions, leading to a brief red flag period as marshals cleared debris from critical sections of Albert Park.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll represented Aston Martin well by finishing eighth and tenth respectively, while George Russell placed seventh for Mercedes after running competitive laps on medium compound tires early in FP1.
Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar impressed by securing ninth place in his debut session, showcasing promise for his inaugural season.
Further down the order were Alpine drivers Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly in 13th and 17th positions respectively, with Doohan receiving enthusiastic support from local fans as another Australian hopeful on home soil.
Kick Sauber drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg finished 15th and 18th respectively, while Esteban Ocon struggled with pace in his Haas VF-25, placing 19th.
The Australian Grand Prix FP1 session concluded with Norris firmly at the top of the timesheets, signaling McLaren’s strong start to the season. However, teams like Williams and Ferrari also demonstrated competitive form that could challenge Red Bull’s dominance moving forward.
With qualifying looming on Saturday and race day scheduled for Sunday evening, FP1 provided valuable insights into team strategies and car setups for Albert Park’s demanding circuit.
