Lando Norris secured the 2025 Australian Grand Prix pole position, leading a McLaren front-row lockout alongside teammate Oscar Piastri.
The British driver’s lap of 1:15.096 edged out Piastri by a mere 0.084 seconds, marking a significant achievement for the Woking-based outfit as they begin their title defense in the new 2025 F1 season.
The 2025 Australian Grand Prix pole shootout was nothing short of thrilling with drama unfolding across all three segments, setting the stage for an intense battle at the Albert Park Circuit.
In Q1, several high-profile names faced early elimination including Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson.
Both drivers struggled to find pace on the demanding Albert Park layout, with Antonelli unable to match his more experienced teammate George Russell and Lawson falling short in his bid to advance.
Haas’ Oliver Bearman also saw an early exit marking yet another disastrous performance for the British driver whose Australian Grand Prix weekend has been marred by crashes. Bearman was eliminated alongside his teammate Esteban Ocon and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.
As Q2 progressed, the competition intensified with drivers battling for a spot in the final Australian Grand Prix pole shootout.
Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams after a dramatic offseason transfer, managed to secure tenth place and advance to Q3. Meanwhile, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly also delivered an impressive performance by sneaking into ninth.
However, it was Yuki Tsunoda who emerged as one of the standout performers of qualifying. The Racing Bulls driver delivered an exceptional lap that ultimately earned him fifth on the grid, showcasing his growth as a driver and the potential of his team’s new package.
The final segment of qualifying (Q3) saw the top teams and drivers contend for supremacy. Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen initially set the pace with a mid-1:15 lap time, putting Red Bull in contention for Australian Grand Prix pole.
Meanwhile, both McLaren drivers struggled to make their first runs—Oscar Piastri ran wide at the penultimate corner compromising his lap time, while Lando Norris had his effort deleted due to exceeding track limits at Turn 4. The setbacks left Verstappen temporarily leading the pack.
However, McLaren later responded decisively during their second runs in Q3.
Piastri thrilled his home crowd by clocking a provisional pole time of 1:15.180 after finding significant gains in the final sector. The Australian driver’s performance demonstrated his ability to handle pressure and deliver when it mattered most.
However, Norris was not to be outdone as he executed a flawless lap on his second attempt, improving significantly in both the opening and closing sectors to edge out Piastri by just 0.084 seconds.
The remarkable effort secured Lando Norris the 2025 Australian Grand Prix pole position, with Oscar Piastri cementing a McLaren front-row lockout.
Behind the McLaren duo, Verstappen had to settle for third place on the grid after failing to match their pace in his final run. The Dutchman finished 0.385 seconds adrift of Norris’s time—a gap that underscores McLaren’s impressive form heading into the race weekend.
George Russell delivered a solid performance for Mercedes, claiming fourth place and positioning himself as a potential contender for Sunday’s race.
Further down the order, Yuki Tsunoda’s fifth-place finish was one of the surprises of qualifying. His late lap pushed Alex Albon down to sixth despite an equally impressive effort from the Williams driver earlier in Q3.
Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton found themselves seventh and eighth respectively, as both drivers adjusted to their new partnership within the iconic Italian team. Leclerc narrowly outpaced Hamilton in their first competitive session together.
Rounding out the top ten were Pierre Gasly in ninth and Carlos Sainz in tenth, both delivering commendable performances given their respective team situations.
Gasly showcased Alpine’s potential with a consistent effort throughout qualifying, while Sainz demonstrated adaptability in his debut outing for Williams.
As anticipation builds for Sunday’s race, all eyes will be on McLaren as they aim to convert the Australian Grand Prix pole position success into victory at Albert Park.
2025 Australian Grand Prix Qualifying Results
