Charles Leclerc showcased Ferrari’s potential by setting the fastest time in the 2025 F1 Australian Grand Prix FP2 at Albert Park.
The Monegasque driver clocked an impressive 1:16.439 on soft tires, edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who finished second and third, respectively.
The 2025 F1 Australian Grand Prix FP2 session provided a fascinating glimpse into the competitive dynamics of the grid as teams fine-tuned their setups for qualifying and race day.
The hour-long practice began under sunny skies, with most drivers eager to make up for lost time after a mixed FP1 earlier in the day. However, Haas rookie Oliver Bearman was absent from FP2 due to extensive repairs on his car following a heavy crash in the first session.
As the track opened, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto led the pack onto the circuit, but it was George Russell in the Mercedes W16 who set an early benchmark of 1:17.565 on hard tires.
Soon after, Williams’ Carlos Sainz lowered the time to 1:17.302 on medium compounds, signaling a strong start for the Grove-based team.
However, Ferrari quickly asserted itself as a frontrunner when Charles Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton took to the track. Leclerc initially topped the timesheets with a 1:16.794 on medium tires, holding a four-tenths advantage over Hamilton.
The 2025 F1 Australian Grand Prix FP2 session then transitioned into qualifying simulations as teams switched to soft tires in pursuit of faster lap times. Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda briefly claimed P1 with a 1:16.784 before being displaced by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who posted a 1:16.580.
Later on Oscar Piastri – racing at his home Grand Prix – delivered an impressive performance in his first flying lap on softs, slotting into third place behind Norris. However, with just under 30 minutes remaining Charles Leclerc returned to action and unleashed his best effort of 1:16.439 to reclaim the top spot.
2025 F1 Australian Grand Prix FP2 Results
Piastri improved further to secure second place with a time of 1:16.563, just 0.124 seconds behind Leclerc and narrowly ahead of Norris by 0.017 seconds.
Racing Bulls also impressed with Yuki Tsunoda finishing fourth and teammate Isack Hadjar taking sixth place. Tsunoda’s early stint on softs demonstrated the car’s potential as he briefly led the session before being overtaken by McLaren and Ferrari drivers.
Lewis Hamilton’s first race weekend as a Ferrari driver saw him finish fifth in FP2, four-tenths off his teammate Leclerc’s pace. While Hamilton appeared to be adapting well to his new team, he acknowledged there was still work to do to close the gap at the front.
Defending World Champion Max Verstappen endured another frustrating session in his Red Bull RB21. The Dutchman struggled with balance issues throughout Australian Grand Prix FP2 and abandoned his initial flying lap after running wide at Turn 1 and sliding at Turn 3.
Despite late setup changes, Verstappen could only manage seventh place, six-tenths off Leclerc’s benchmark time.
Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg recovered from an early trip through the gravel at Turn 6 to secure eighth place, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top ten.
Further down the order, Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon finished just outside the top ten in 11th and 12th respectively, indicating that Williams is poised to contend among midfield teams this season.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took 13th place ahead of Alpine duo Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly.
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull newcomer Liam Lawson struggled to find rhythm during FP2, finishing 16th and 17th respectively. Lawson was notably slower than teammate Verstappen by six-tenths of a second, highlighting areas for improvement within Red Bull’s garage.
Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto placed 18th ahead of Haas’ Esteban Ocon in 19th position. Ocon faced challenges adapting to his car setup throughout FP2 but managed to complete valuable laps for data collection.
The absence of Oliver Bearman due to his FP1 crash was a blow for Haas as they missed critical track time ahead of qualifying. The team will need to work overnight to ensure Bearman is ready for Saturday’s action.
READ ALSO: Australian Grand Prix FP1: Lando Norris leads Carlos Sainz as Bearman crashes
