Lando Norris delivered a stellar performance to claim pole position for the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, secured second place, completing an impressive front-row lockout for the reigning constructors’ champions.
McLaren Dominates Qualifying
Despite a shaky start in Q3, where both Norris and Piastri struggled with their initial runs, they recovered in the final moments. Piastri initially set the fastest lap, but Norris eclipsed him with a blistering 1:15.096, beating his teammate by almost a tenth of a second.
Max Verstappen, aiming for his fifth consecutive drivers’ championship, finished third for Red Bull. However, his time was nearly four-tenths of a second slower than Norris’, suggesting McLaren’s dominance heading into race day.
Ferrari Struggles, Surprise Performances Shine
The biggest surprise of qualifying came from Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Alex Albon, who secured fifth and sixth place, respectively. Ferrari, expected to be McLaren’s biggest challenger, struggled to find pace. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, making his Ferrari debut, only managed seventh and eighth place.
Hamilton, adjusting to the SF-25 after his high-profile move from Mercedes, faced difficulties throughout qualifying. He narrowly advanced from Q2 after a spin but ultimately finished almost nine-tenths off the pole time. “It’s been a lot of work to adapt,” Hamilton said post-session. “I didn’t expect to be eight tenths off, but there’s a lot to analyze.”
The race is set to begin at 4 AM on Sunday, with a forecast of potential rain, which could shake up the competition. With McLaren looking dominant but unpredictable weather in play, the Australian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting season opener.
FORMULA 1 LOUIS VUITTON AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2025 RESULTS
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:15.912 | 1:15.415 | 1:15.096 | 20 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:16.062 | 1:15.468 | 1:15.180 | 18 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:16.018 | 1:15.565 | 1:15.481 | 17 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:15.971 | 1:15.798 | 1:15.546 | 21 |
| 5 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:16.225 | 1:16.009 | 1:15.670 | 18 |
| 6 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:16.245 | 1:16.017 | 1:15.737 | 21 |
| 7 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:16.029 | 1:15.827 | 1:15.755 | 20 |
| 8 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:16.213 | 1:15.919 | 1:15.973 | 23 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:16.328 | 1:16.112 | 1:15.980 | 21 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes | 1:16.360 | 1:15.931 | 1:16.062 | 21 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT | 1:16.354 | 1:16.175 | 12 | |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:16.288 | 1:16.453 | 13 | |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:16.369 | 1:16.483 | 15 | |
| 14 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault | 1:16.315 | 1:16.863 | 15 | |
| 15 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:16.516 | 1:17.520 | 13 | |
| 16 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:16.525 | 9 | ||
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:16.579 | 9 | ||
| 18 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:17.094 | 7 | ||
| 19 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari | 1:17.147 | 9 | ||
| NC | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari | DNS | 1 |
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